


Burning Up

by nel_gal



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Artist Daryl, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes Smut, Dehydration, M/M, Multi Day Festival, Quick Showers, Recreational Drug Use, Shane has an enlightening experience, recreational alcohol use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-11 22:34:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 25,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7910200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nel_gal/pseuds/nel_gal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Maggie and Michonne convince a reluctant Rick, and even more reluctant Shane to drive clear across country during college break to attend a festival, none of them are expecting to meet people they will form life-long friendships with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sunday

**Author's Note:**

> I've mixed around ages and personalities a little bit, but nothing too crazy except maybe for Merle. I might have gone a bit crazy with him. But I do love the many facets of fan-fiction Merle, and hope you do too. Also, without planning too, Daryl has maybe ended up being a combination of Daryl and Norman. Again, no apologies!
> 
> Further note: I have never been to the festival I am basing this one, and realised as I started writing it that my lack of experience would be immediately obvious. I therefore decided not to name it so I can try to claim it's a fictional festival and take some liberties and make mistakes and not get called out for it, lol. But, if anyone reads this and has been, I would love to hear any of your comments / experiences etc.. I am kind of obsessed with this festival. I hope I manage to get there one day!
> 
> Further further note: Sorry for the mistakes. I've been back over it so many times, but, you know...
> 
> This story is complete and I am posting it at random times over the following week for reasons that may or may not relate to a very similar actual festival that is currently occurring (even though this festival is, as mentioned, fictional!).

"Jesus Shane, you can't just throw that on the ground. Haven't you listened to _anything_ I've told you about the philosophy of this festival?" Michonne gave him the evil eye as she bent to pick up the gum wrapper he had just tossed on the dried desert silt.

Shane levelled his eyes with hers, narrowing them. "Which fucking philosophy is this one Chonne? You listed so many to me on the god forsaken drive here, I can't remember them all. Is it the one about how you can't be a decent member of society unless you are choking on a mouth full of sand and dust, or the one where you have to burn to a fucking crisp whilst choking on said sand and dust?" He kicked his foot on the ground to stir up some dust. "Jesus, this is so fucking shit, I can't believe I spent money on a ticket to come here. I can't believe you talked us into wasting our break at this ..... hippy-fest in the middle of bum-fuck... nowhere. " He sneered as he looked around at their surroundings, the side of his upper lip lifting in disgust.

"Us" was him and Rick. Rick stood a few paces away from Shane. He didn't feel as strongly as his best friend did about the festival, but he wasn't exactly thrilled about being here either. Not that there was much he was thrilled about these days, admittedly.

"Shane, could you please give it a chance? We _just_ arrived. We have to set up camp and get ourselves sorted out. Yes, it's hot and dusty, but we told you that. It's also thriving and colourful and... alive.. Can't you just feel the buzz? There's practically electricity in the air around us." Maggie spun in a slow circle as she talked... her hands raised, palms to the sky, a huge grin on her face. It was hard not to be carried along in her enthusiasm, but Shane was giving it a good shot.

"Fucking static electricity." He muttered, before spitting on the ground next to Rick's foot. God he could be obnoxious sometimes.

Rick looked around, squinting slightly behind his sunglasses. Maggie was right. It was pretty amazing from what he could see, and from the vantage of their camp, that was just a tiny swathe of the whole.. because the festival was _enormous_. Seventy thousand people camped over five square miles of searing desert. A place that at all other times of the year is completely barren becomes a thriving metropolis for a week. If nothing else, he was impressed by the scale and the pure logistics of it. But Shane was also right. It was dusty as all fuck, and hot as hell.

Still, Rick coughed to clear his throat and tried to make peace as usual. "Maggie's right. Let's get set up, then we can relax and decide what to do next."

"Forget it. I'm going go for a walk. Later girls." Shane flipped them all off, including Rick, and strode out of camp.

The three of them stared after him for a while. They weren't exactly surprised. Shane had a tendency to get worked up about things at times, and it had been building for the trip here. He was like a toddler, he didn't take well to being confined for so long, even though their trip had been in relative luxury in Rick's as-new Suburban. He shook his head. In a way, Shane's absence might make the task of setting up camp easier for the rest of them. And if he worked off enough steam now, he might even get back to his regular, semi-bearable state by evening.

"You know, if he's planning on being out there for long, he really should have taken these" Michonne"s voice was calm as she dangled Shane's goggles from one finger, and held his water bottle in her other hand. They all burst into laughter.

It ended up taking all afternoon to completely set up their camp. They had brought Maggie's family's enormous eight-man tent, because she had declared you could never have too big a tent. Rick wasn't sure he agreed with the logic as the three of them struggled to erect it, and he had started to wish Shane was around as it was left to him to hammer an endless number of thick metal stakes into the dry earth, but now red-faced and drenched in sweat, he had to admit the result was outstanding. The tent had two huge bedrooms, and an indoor and an outdoor sitting area, and was easily tall enough for him to stand up in. They also had a separate gazebo set up out the front, with a table and camp chairs underneath.

They unpacked all the other items from the trailer, and Rick again had to admit he was wrong to have teased the girls for bringing so much camp "furniture" because once it was all properly arranged, it seemed almost as comfy as home. If they had a TV, Rick thought, then it definitely would be.

That's not the reason you're here though, he reminded himself. He'd spent his fair share of time sitting around at home of late. Moping was the other word for it. And there was really no excuse any more. He was actually over Lori now. He had finally realised she was right, they weren't meant to be, and that it was lucky they didn't go through with it and get married. But it was still the couple-lifestyle he mourned.. He had liked the idea of being in _a relationship_ , of knowing the answer to the question of who he would share his life with.... Instead of now, where the answer to that seemed incredibly confusing... Shit, the question was confusing, the answer was positively perplexing.

Regardless, he reminded himself, he was here to have fun with his friends, and to have some new experiences, broaden his horizons a little.. And if he also managed to figure some things out about himself, well that would be a definite bonus too. He couldn't really go on as he had been.

He sighed, then took a few deliciously _wet_ sips of water from his metal flask and looked around their now-established camp. Not bad at all. Maggie and Michonne had gone out for a walk to find the toilets and to look around. He placed his and Shane's back packs in the room that didn't already contain the girls' mountain of luggage, set up their mattresses, and wandered a few steps away to admire the finished camp.

Their tent was situated between an older-style RV to the left, and a more compact tent to the right. As he stood contemplating what to do next, a man wearing an old fisherman's hat exited the RV and headed over to him.

"Well hello there, it looks like we're to be neighbours for the week. My name's Dale. Dale Horvath." he held out his hand to shake Rick's.

"Rick Grimes. Yeah, looks that way. Except it looks like you're doing it in style with the RV. I think I have Campervan-envy."

"What do you mean? Your camp, and that tent is positively palatial. I think I'm the envious one." Dale joked.

He laughed. "Have you been here before?" He gestured around them.

"Oh yeah, my wife and I used to come every few years for the past couple of decades, before she got the cancer. But this, is the first year I've come without her." He nodded at Rick's sympathetic expression. "And it's the first time I've brought my Grand-daughters, Andrea and Amy, and a friend of mine from work, Glenn. I'll introduce you to them when they get back from, wherever it is they've gone to."

"That would be great, my friends are off exploring too. So where are you from, Dale?"

"All the way from Georgia, a little bit outside of Atlanta" he replied.

Rick took a step back, his eyes widening and expression incredulous "No way. You're kidding. My friends and I are from Georgia too. We're all in our last year at Georgia State. That's incredible. So we drove 3000 miles and our neighbours here, literally are, our neighbours?!"

"Well that is sure a coincidence. In all the time's I've been here before, I don't think I've ever run into _anyone_ from Georgia." Dale chuckled.

Rick and Dale compared notes and found that Dale lived about an hour's drive from their college, and that Rick and Shane's family's homes, and Maggie's family farm were only about fifteen minutes from Dale's automotive-repair business.

As they were talking, a man emerged from the tent on the other side of Rick's. He was a vision of, well, something. Dressed in a pair of bright pink and yellow paisley flares that fit tightly across his hips, bare-chested save for the multiple strands of colourful beaded necklaces that hung down over his broad, tanned, muscular chest. He had dozens of bangles around each arm, and long dreadlocks. There was a definite "ageing hippy" vibe going on.

"Greetings." he addressed them in a rough, gravelly voice, closing the distance with confident, long strides. Rick extended his hand, but the man side stepped it and gave him a huge bear hug instead.

"Name's Merle." he said, also hugging Dale. Rick and Dale introduced themselves.

"You two have got "South" written all over you."

"We're coincidently both from Georgia" Dale supplied. "And we're camped next to each other."

"That so?" Merle asked with a glimmer in his eye. "Your first time here?" he asked, looking at Rick.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well, ole Merle tends to get a pretty good read on people. But in this case, yes it is that obvious. But it's all good. We all like virgins." He winked and positively leered at Rick, leaning in closer.

"And you my good man, have the look of a seasoned regular" Dale commented. Rick was glad for the distraction, he found Merle a little creepy.

"Damn straight. I've been to 12 of the past 15 festivals.. only missed out due to bein hospital, my old man's funeral, and, a short stint in gaol. Wrongfully imprisoned, of course."

"Are you here by yourself?" Dale asked.

"Set up camp by myself, but my lil' brother should be here any time now. He's ridin my Harley over. He's been here two or three times before too." He peered more closely at Rick. "He's probably about your age." More of that toothy grin. "I think he'll like you."

Rick tried not to squirm at the thought of being camped next to two men like Merle for the week. Merle apparently sensed this. "I'm just giving you a hard time kid. Don't worry, you won't have any trouble from the Dixon brothers.... As long as you invite all of your neighbours over for an introductory brewsky at Tent-Mahal later?" Merle looked expectantly at Rick, then Dale.

"Sure." Rick muttered, looking helplessly at Dale, who's expression gave nothing away. "That's a great idea. Everyone's welcome."

"Perfect." he said with that a toothy grin, I'll be over when the sun is four fingers. He headed back to his tent where Rick saw him take a swig of bourbon from the bottle.

"Four fingers?" Rick asked Dale.

"He means when the sun is four fingers off the horizon." Dale demonstrated holding his hand out parallel, fingers pressed together. "Which... in my estimate is in an hour or so."

Rick raised his eyebrows. "Colourful character."

"Well, that is one definite about this place. It sure is colourful. But you know, a lot of the weirdest and wackiest looking folks here will be back at their office job, wearing a suit and sitting behind a computer next week. You know what I mean?" Rick nodded. "Of course, Merle here may not fall into that category, I get the distinct impression he doesn't exactly have a day job." Dale laughed. "But he has got the right idea, getting to know the neighbours. I'll see you soon for that drink." He tipped his hat and headed back to the RV.

***

"Rick, let me introduce you to my grand-daughters, Andrea and Amy. And my colleague, Glenn." Rick shook hands with the Asian guy and the two blonde girls. Amy was obviously a lot younger than Andrea, who looked to be around his own age.

Everyone from Dale's camp, and Merle had brought their chairs over, and arranged them under the gazebo in an approximation of a circle.

"Good to meet you Rick. Thanks for inviting us over. Amazing coincidence that we're all from Atlanta, isn't it?" Glenn had a polite, nervous air about him that Rick liked immediately.

"Atlanta hey? Would have taken you for Japanese. Or maybe actually Korean." Merle observed, studying Glenn's face intently.

"Korean, good guess." Glenn replied. "Well, my family are. I was born in Atlanta."

"You have Merle here to thank for the invite too." Rick nodded in his direction.

"I'm always keen to be neighbourly." Merle replied, handing around cans of what was no doubt Shane's beer. He had however also brought his BBQ over, and was frying up vege burgers for everyone, so Rick decided he wasn't going to be the one to mention it.

When Merle wasn't looking, Rick held his hand sideways, finger's together, calculating the distance of the sun from the horizon. It kind of was four fingers. Amazing.

They sat swapping stories easily. Andrea was studying law at University of Florida. Amy was in High School. Glenn explained he had been working in his family business for the past 2 years delivering pizza at night, and he also worked part time for Dale, but he would be starting at Georgia State next year, so he was particularly keen to hear as much as possible about it from Rick's group.

About half an hour later Merle was in the midst of regaling them with yet another tale of debauchery at a prior festival (Rick had to admit the man was good value), when he stopped mid-sentence, looked over everyone's heads towards the road and bellowed in his distinctive gravelly voice "Georgia. Yo! Over here." All eyes from their camp turned towards the road and the man who had swivelled on his heel to gaze over, and who then started walking towards Merle.

"Where've you been kid? You're late!"

He strode confidently into camp, voice even and measured. "Been here five hours already, looking for your sorry ass at F - 3 O'clock, where you said you'd be." His gait was reminiscent of his brother's, but that was the only physical attribute they appeared to share. Whereas Merle's features were coarse and blunt, his were fine, almost delicate. He was wearing loose-fitting cargo pants, a black leather sleeveless vest that showed off well-defined arms, and he carried a back pack . He was one of those age-ambiguous people, Rick thought he looked like he could just as easily be thirty, as twenty.

"No, I didn't say that. Did I?"

"Yeah, Merle, you did." He sighed heavily as he pushed shaggy hair from his eyes, and made his way over, giving Merle a brief hug and clap on the back.

"Folks, this is my little brother Daryl." Then adding pointedly: "From Georgia."

Daryl gave a short nod in their general direction before entering Merle's tent.

"No freaking way. Your brother is from Georgia?" Glenn asked, as surprised as the rest of them. "Why didn't you say something while we were comparing notes on back-home, before?"

"Thought I'd surprise ya'all. I'm tickled to know that probably the entire festival delegate from the fine state of Georgia, is all camped right here in the same spot." Merle was tending the burgers, but turned around waving the tongs as he spoke. "It's where I grew up too, lived there twenty years fore I moved out West. From what I could take in from what yer been saying, Daryl probably only lives an hour from you. He's out around the Kings County border in our old family home, well, shack more like it. But it's near the woods, which suits him."

"Where's me bike, kiddo?" Merle asked when Daryl emerged a moment later.

Daryl didn't look happy. "Back at F - 3 O'clock, where I thought you were going to be. Now I know where our camp actually is, I'll go and retrieve it. Should only take me another 5 hours, prolly have to push it back, can't ride it over here now with all the camps set up, too many people around, AND in the dark, so maybe I can sit down and have a drink first?" he was obviously annoyed, but in a resigned way that suggested he was accustomed with being annoyed by his older brother.

"Now now Darlina, no need to be so antsy. Course you can have a drink. And whilst you do, I'll introduce you to the rest of the State of Georgia, and then I'm sure there will be someone here who will be so kind as to offer to help you with the bike." Merle had been gesturing generally around camp, but now his eyes settled on... "Rick Grimes here seems to be a fine, upstanding young man. And I reckon he's got a fair bit of strength in that wiry frame of his. I'm sure he'd be happy to go with ya."

It was only then Rick realised he wasn't really blinking, that maybe he had actually been staring openly at Daryl. "Uh, yeah, sure thing, it's no problem to come with you." He managed to say.

Daryl looked daggers through his fringe at Merle, and started chewing on his fingernail. He seemed as though he was going to decline help, but he looked more closely at Rick and after a pause nodded with a quiet "Sure."

Merle surprised Rick again as he introduced his brother to everyone, recounting in turn something about each person that he had overheard earlier, even though it seemed he hadn't really be listening or talking to anyone in particular.

Daryl had a quiet, calm air about him unlike the hyper-energy that radiated from his older brother. He wasn't exactly talkative like Shane could be, but he was quietly at ease chatting to Dale about his mechanical business, and to Michonne about her fine-arts degree. It turned out Daryl was a professional photographer and artist.

Rick was happy to sit quietly nursing his beer, but Glenn did successfully draw him into a conversation about how the Atlanta Braves were going this year, and sport was something Rick had actually managed to keep abreast of, despite his general apathy about, well, life.

Eventually Daryl stood up. "Best get this over with now, so I can start enjoying my holiday." He looked at Rick. "You don't really have to come man, it's cool I can take care of it myself."

From where Daryl was standing now, Rick could see his eyes sparkling, and could have sworn they were blue, but it was really too dark to tell. He was nowhere near drunk, but he felt a light buzz, from, something.

"No, I'm happy to help, it's fine." Rick stood up too. He had a quick conversation with Maggie and Michonne about their plans for the next few hours, making a vague commitment to possibly be somewhere or other, later on in the night. Then he grabbed his goggles and water bottle and followed Daryl out of camp.

As they walked away there was a loud wolf whistle from Merle. "Don't you kids do anything I wouldn't do." he called after them. Rick wasn't sure what to make of that as he had the distinct impression there wasn't much Merle _wouldn't_ do.

"Sorry bout my brother." Daryl said when they were out of ear shot. "Just how he is. Always has been, always will be. Since I accepted that, I was able to get along better with him."

"Can't say I've met many people like him. But he's an interesting character, and he seems harmless enough."

"Yeah, he is, mostly. Especially now. Merle did a lot of hard living when he was younger. He's a lot more mellow now. You might have noticed from the pants." He smiled and so did Rick. "So, this whole Georgia thing, pretty fucking unbelievable." Daryl commented.

"I think they put us all together purposely to keep an eye on us." Rick dead panned, eliciting a chuckle from the other man.

Rick explained who was who in a little more detail. That he, Maggie, Michonne and Shane were at University. That Michonne and Maggie attended the festival last year, loved it and spent the intervening time convincing himself and Shane to come.

"Shane your boyfriend?" Daryl drawled.

"Nah, he's my best friend. We've known each other since high school. Almost more like a brother than best friend. Ahhh, and also, I'm not really......." he trailed off.

"You're not gay?" Daryl's tone was neutral, as though he purposely wasn't trying to imply anything.

"No. I mean.. Ahhhh. I don't actually know." Rick replied honestly after a pause. "I was engaged until this year. You know, to a girl....... You always this direct?"

"I don't know man. Probably, yeah I am. But we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." He smiled, obviously trying to lighten the mood.

Rick took a deep breath and continued anyway. "Lori, my ex, she thought.. she still does think, I am. And sometimes I think she's right." Jeez, what was it with this place? He hoped to come here, maybe take the week to think things through... He couldn't believe he was having this conversation on his first day here, with someone he'd only met an hour ago.

"Chicks can be pretty perceptive about that sort of thing." Daryl offered. "But hey, doesn't really matter to me. You can think about it, talk about it, sing it out loud, or not, I'm not one to judge."

"What about you?" Rick mustered the courage. "Are you... into guys? or girls?"

Daryl peered at him through long lashes and his messy fringe. "Gay as a Broadway musical. I had girlfriends when I was younger. Some real nice looking chicks.. And nice girls too, not like the kind of girls Merle's always been into. But still didn't do it for me. Wasn't until I got with one of Merle's friends younger brothers one day, that I realised what was going on."

"So, it was easy as all that?" Asked Rick "One day you were into girls, the next into guys and that was that?"

There was a pause. "No." He answered darkly. "It wasn't that easy. But it's different for everyone." Daryl's tone implied the subject was closed.

After a few moments silence, Rick asked Daryl about photography and his artwork, and the other man livened up again. Considering they had just met, they talked easily non-stop for most of the time it took to make it back to the bike. They did also stop numerous times to take in the scenes around them, and occasionally Daryl would point out a landmark, or provide some commentary. It was dark now, and the festival that had already seemed alive, really ramped up the energy level. There were street performances, lights, dancing, music, and fire of course.

"Damn, I'm practically parked-in." Daryl exclaimed when they reached the bike which was wedged in between two other vehicles behind one of the theme camps.

"We're going to push _this_ back?" Asked Rick. "Looks like it weigh's a ton".

"Bout 700 pounds. And yeah. No other choice. Even too dangerous to ride it on the out-skirts, too many people around now."

"What if we just went really slow?"

"Nah.. Festival rule. People have been hit or run over in the past. Anyway, you ever tried to ride a Harley slow? Not easy, and this ole-girl would probably over-heat and throw a hissy fit for the trouble. Didn't ride 3000 miles here, for her to break down now."

"I've only ridden trail bikes, I don't know anything about these." Rick tried not to grumble, as Daryl held the handle bars, kicked the stand up and leaned the bike towards his body. He grunted as he tried to get some momentum to get the bike moving backwards. Rick moved to the front of the bike to help push and they eventually got it moving. Then there was some awkward turns, and forward and backward rocking to manoeuvre it out from between the other cars, but they finally got there without denting or scratching anything.

As they walked and pushed, Daryl explained that Merle had moved to the West Coast about eighteen years ago, and for about seventeen and a half years, had bitched and moaned about not having his motor bike, yet still made no attempt to retrieve it. Daryl visited Merle regularly, as his work often took him to LA, but he always flew. Daryl even lived with Merle for a year in Santa Monica, a few years back, but he had held onto the family cabin outside Atlanta. He had travelled all over the world in the past five years, but found he really only felt at home when he was trekking and hunting in the back-woods of Georgia. He was twenty six, twelve years younger than Merle.

As they passed what must have been a burlesque-themed camp section, they were surrounded by a group of girls dressed in pink bikini tops and tutu's.

"Hi boys, want to come and party with us for a while?" one of them asked.

"Nice bike." Said another.

They stopped walking and Daryl looked questioningly at Rick to obviously give him the chance to say yes, but Rick gave a small shake of his head. "Thanks for the offer, but we've got to get back to meet up with our friends."

The first girl pouted and locked eyes with Rick, before reaching over and moving her hand slowly up and down Daryl's arms. "Shame." She said. "All the good ones." And she giggled and they all danced off.

Daryl looked carefully at Rick. "Think I'm cramping your style. You should feel free to go on without me. If everyone thinks we're together, you're not going to get any action"

Rick sighed. "What makes you think I want action?"

"You're in college right?" He had a self-satisfied smirk.

"Man, I'm not going anywhere. And it's my turn to push." Daryl lifted an eye brow, but carefully tilted the bike over in Rick's direction, letting go when he was sure Rick had the bike under control. It was damn heavy, but Rick didn't say anything and tried to keep any strain from showing as he took up pushing at the same pace Daryl had been. From the corner of his eye he noticed Daryl swinging his arms in circles to stretch out his shoulders.

They continued on for the next hour. Taking turns pushing every ten or fifteen minutes, and swapping sides with each other to even out the strain on their muscles. It was getting more difficult as the previously hard-packed silt turned to dust under-tens of thousands of partying feet, and after a while when the wind picked up it didn't take long for the dust to start swirling up from the ground. Both men, and pretty much everyone else put on their goggles, and when Rick wasn't pushing, he held the edge of his T-shirt up in front of his nose, to act as a filter when he breathed. He thought he might have seen Daryl glancing over at his bare stomach, but he wasn't sure.

A group of people ran past, and although it was getting hard to see, Rick could have sworn one of them was Shane. He was top-less, wearing only jeans an over-sized white furry hat, and he was holding hands with one girl and one guy. He wasn't completely convinced, until we spotted the familiar trainers, black with glow green detail.

"Shane." Rick bellowed, his voice a little hoarse, but still strong. "Shaaannneee." He was pushing the bike at that stage so couldn't run after him. And it was useless anyway, with the dust and the noise, and Shane running, well, almost _skipping_ away.

"Is Shane also not-gay?" Daryl quipped as he stared after his disappearing figure.

Rick shot him a grin. "Hey!" After a pause. "If there's anyone's sexuality I don't wonder about, it's that guy's. Shane is definitely not gay."

"He's kind of hot. How's it being best friends, no, 'brother's' with someone like that?" Daryl wondered aloud.

Rick chose not to answer, and tried not to feel _jealous_. Maybe Daryl would meet Shane soon and figure out why it wasn't a problem.. anymore.

It took almost 3 hours to walk the bike back, although granted they had taken lots of rest-stops, partly to watch and enjoy what was going on around them, partly because it was hard work. Finally they arrived back at camp.

"Jesus Christ man, I don't know how you found your way back to the bike. Not to mention how you even managed to find Merle to begin with!"

Daryl grinned. "Yeah, well when Merle wasn't where he said he'd be, it did occur to me that I might spend tha whole week looking and still not find him! Luckily he's a creature of habit. I started checking out the places where I knew he'd camped in the past, and that paid off. As for finding the bike, well I am used to tracking deer through the forest, but even that doesn't really help here. Once you've got the street and avenue configuration straight in your head though, it's not too bad."

They settled the bike on its stand, next to Merle's trailer. "Whoa, my arms are pretty sore now, think I'll be feeling this tomorrow" Rick admitted, as they walked into the circle of empty camp chairs in from of his tent.

"Come here" Daryl motioned Rick over. "Learned this in yoga" he smiled. With his left hand, he grabbed hold of Rick's left bicep. "Put your hand around my arm" then he spun Rick slightly so they were facing away from each other. "Now push against my arm." Daryl explained, and that way they able to stretch each other's shoulders, swapping sides after a few minutes.

Rick closed his eyes to enjoy the stretch and the feel of Daryl's arm against his. He was mildly disappointed when Daryl moved away. But he was also exhausted and stifled the urge to yawn.

"I know I'm supposed to stay up and party all night, but I'm beat. Think maybe the 3 day drive took it out of me, not to mention pushing your brother's Harley." Rick admitted.

"Yeah tell me about it dude, I should probably get some sleep too. I actually promised a friend of a friend to help with their light display, so I'll probably be gone most of the day tomorrow setting up."

"Seems like you do a lot of things for other people." Rick smiled.

"Seems like you're one to talk." Daryl countered. "But thanks for helping, not sure I could have done that on my own. Hey, if I don't catch you tomorrow, I'll see you the next day?" It was part-statement, part-question.

"Sure." Rick smiled.

Daryl's return smile lit up his whole face, and he headed into Merle's tent.

Rick felt a little disappointed as he watched him disappear. He wondered if he should examine some of his feelings about the intriguing man he had just met, but he really was dead tired so he made his way to his bedroom, briefly noting Shane was not there, and was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

Despite being exhausted, he woke short of breath a few hours later to a recurring dream of a faceless _someone_. Someone who placed their hands on his skin and stroked and caressed gently. He was warm and flushed when he opened his eyes, but at least he had managed not to come in his shorts, which had happened before when he had this dream. He looked around the dark tent and was thankful to realise he was still alone. He fumbled in his bag and found some tissues, then pulled his pants down to slowly rub his hand over his hard, leaking cock, taking his time at first, slowing his breathing down.

He couldn't tell if it was sad, or just 'not-creepy' that he thought of no one as he touched himself. Not someone he knew, and not someone he had seen in a magazine or on TV. He wanted the physical release, he _didn't_ want to think about who it would be with. Picking up the pace he brought himself to climax, spilling into the tissue, silent as always.

He always felt ashamed after masturbating, but had never really been able to put a finger on why. And he didn't try to examine it too much now, but as he drifted back to sleep, there may have been a fleeting, hazy moment, where his thoughts drifted to tanned, muscular arms.


	2. Monday

The festival never really slept, so Rick woke a number of times after his dream, but always managed to drift back to sleep. But the sun was up now, although he didn't know whether it was morning or if he'd slept through to afternoon. He stood up and stretched out his arms.. His shoulders and biceps were sore, but he was used to having sore muscles, and didn't mind the feeling. He changed into a clean shirt, but wore the same dusty jeans as yesterday. He raked his hands roughly through dirty hair and walked out into the blindingly bright desert day.

Maggie, Michonne, Andrea, Glenn and Merle were all sitting around outside.

"You guys are up early" Rick said.

"We haven't been to _sleeeep._ " Andrea giggled.

"We are _WIRED_." Michonne added.

Rick smiled, "So what did y'all get up to last night?"

"We had _SO_ much fun, Rick" Maggie said, eyes wide, pupils dilated, huge smile.

Rick was starting to get the impression the girls had maybe had some assistance in their fun.

"Is that so?" He asked patiently.

It turned out the five of them had gone to the rave tent, and the girls had accepted Merle's offer of pills. They had been dancing for most of the night and morning.

Rick didn't really approve of drug-use, but he wouldn't, and couldn't say anything, because even though it wasn't for him, there was that night last year where Shane had convinced him to take a pill. He liked it for the first hour, then spent the rest of the night wishing he hadn't taken it. And he felt terrible the next day, reaffirming his convictions against drug use. But it was the festival after all, and not his place anyway.

Merle definitely looked worse for wear. He sat un-moving, un-blinking in his chair. Rick thought 'Crashed' might be the scientific term for his state.

"Oh, and we saw Shane" Michonne intercepted. "He was dancing on stage with the band. He was top-less."

"And wearing a white hat?" Rick asked, smiling as Michonne nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I saw him too.. I tried to call out to him, but he didn't hear me."

"He's a really good dancer" Glenn added.

"Who knew?" Rick shrugged.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Michonne asked. "I feel like dancing some more."

"Me too." said Andrea, as they both stood up and started gyrating around camp.

"Yeah, I reckon you guys are about to fall over. How long have you been awake for now?" he asked.

"A really, really, really long time, Rick." Maggie emphasised each 'really'.

Rick looked at his friends and resisted the urge to shake his head. 'Open mind', he told himself.

"It probably is time to catch some zzzzz"s." Glenn added. "I think I'm going to lay down for a few hours at least." He stood up.

"Wimp." Maggie called teasingly as he walked to the RV. He turned and gave her a shy smile, but continued on his way.

Rick sat chatting with the girls for a while, but soon they all started to get the same glazed-over look that Merle had earlier. Merle had now fallen asleep in his chair, so Rick kicked his foot gently. "Dude, you better go and lay down." He suggested.

Merle barely opened his eyes, but nodded and managed to stand up and shuffle to his tent. "You lot too." He said to the girls, and Andrea stumbled with Maggie and Michonne to the tent, all of them looked ready to pass out.

Rick wasn't sure what to do next. It was probably close to midday. Dale and Amy were nowhere to be seen, and Daryl had obviously headed out before Rick woke. He felt a twinge of disappointment. He'd just met this guy, why should he care where he went? With no one else around, Rick decided to head out and explore by himself.

He wandered down one of the avenues in the general direction of centre camp. Looking around, he really couldn't decide whether to feel under-dressed, or over-dressed here. Women in bikini's and leg warmers, men in silver hot-pants and nothing else, a bunch of people wearing Indian-style headdress. And quite a lot had eschewed clothing in favour of body paint. However, there were a lot of people dressed pretty 'normally' too, so he didn't feel completely out of place in his jeans and T-shirt and boots.

Eventually Rick found himself in the central cafe, which provided a welcome respite from the blazing sun. By now, so many people had said hello to him, he wasn't surprised that within a minute of sitting down at a table, two women roughly his age came over to sit with him.

"What's your name Cowboy?" asked the very attractive brunette. Her long straight hair was tied up in two pig-tails, and she wore a skimpy top and cut-off jean shorts.

"I'm Rick." He flashed a smile.

"I'm Ally, and this is Bridgette" she gestured to her even prettier, similarly attired friend.

Rick held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you Ally, Bridgette."

"Who are you here with Rick?"

"A bunch of friends from college actually, all the way from Atlanta."

"Atlanta? Oh my, well that explains the sexy southern drawl."

"We're at College too, UCLA. What are you studying?" Asked Bridget, she was looking at him kind of... hungrily.

"Criminology and Justice." He answered. "How about you?"

"I'm pre-med, and Ally is pre-law." She answered.

"Tough! You guys must be constantly under the pump. My ex was studying law, she never had any spare time."

"Yep, that's us. We basically come here and party for a week each year, then work our asses off for the other 51 weeks. So, no girlfriend then Rick?" Bridgette leaned forward far enough for Rick to see down her top when he glanced over, and he quickly averted his eyes.

"No, no girlfriend."

"Boyfriend, then?" she asked.

"No, no boyfriend, either."

He chatted with the girls for a while, but eventually managed to extricate himself, not before being given exact directions to where Ally and Bridgette's camp was located, and an open invitation to come over _any_ time he liked.

Rick wandered away deep in thought. He knew he didn't really have a lot of game when it came to dating, but he was kind of fine with that. He had figured out early in his teens that he must be okay-looking, because girls often seemed to approach him, and it was the same in college as it had been through high school. He just had difficulty matching their level of enthusiasm, and didn't really know how to close on any situation... which was possibly due to a lack of interest. Generally if a girl approached him, she would end up with Shane by the end of the night. Shane had no issues with interest, enthusiasm or closing.

Lori had been the exception. She was simultaneously beautiful, smart, confident and funny, and she also seemed to 'get' him. When they first met, even though it was in a group of people, they quickly seemed to share their own 'in' jokes. It was love at first sight, at least he thought it was, and one of the few times Rick felt like he really clicked with someone.

Of course, Rick only just recently admitted to himself that even though it may have been love at first sight, as time went on, there was another thing Lori had going for her that contributed to the longevity of their relationship. She was unimaginably, inconceivably, busy _all the time_. She was double majoring in law and languages and she had a cadet-ship with a top Atlanta-based firm. So between study, work, and a multitude of personal interests, dance, aerobics, yoga, and then some charity work, and as they weren't living together, Rick could admit that they probably only managed to see each other for a few hours each week. This was something that bothered Lori, but not him.

Things only really came to a head when she finally convinced him to take a fortnight vacation at the start of the year. Lori had been so excited for it, and Rick had been too... And it was great for the first few days. But although Rick thought he hid it, it had been hard for him to spend all that time together. He found it, and her, exhausting. They managed to get through the holiday, but a day later Lori turned up at Rick's place. She had been obviously been crying. She said she didn't think Rick was in love with her anymore, 'if he had ever been.' She accused him of being distant, of not wanting to be intimate any more, and then, staggeringly, of not even being into girls. Lori was spiteful that day as she presented her laundry list of Rick's flaws, but she had apologised numerous times after. The truth was, Lori was devastated. Heart-broken. She had truly loved him and he knew she was still suffering. And the other truth was that Lori was possibly right. It had taken him twenty two years to get this far in admitting to himself that he wasn't really attracted to women. The only other problem then, was that there weren't really any men he was attracted to either.

Except that maybe that wasn't quite true either. Rick subconsciously ran his hand through his hair as we wandered amongst the throngs of festival goers, his eyes glancing around but not focussing on anything in particular.... First there was Shane. Rick had had a crush on his best friend when they were younger, and was ashamed to admit the number of fantasies he had about him during those years. Fortunately, over time these feelings had fizzled out. Partly as Rick matured and became his own person. Party because Shane was such a massive dick most of the time.

But aside from Shane, and various random unrequited glances here and there over the years, there had been one other... man Rick could admit he had feelings for. Professor Negan, his criminology lecturer last year. Nothing had ever come of it of course. It couldn't, he had Lori, but still, for most of the year, he had lusted after the Professor during each lecture. Had basically undressed him with his eyes, and had imagined the Professor doing the same to him. Rick wasn't sure he had learned any of the syllabus that year, and for that reason had purposely transferred to another class for the following year. But there was that one night during an end of year university party that when Rick was coming out of the toilet stall as Negan was entering the otherwise empty, rest-room.

Professor Negan sauntered over to him, obviously drunk.

"Rick Grimes" he said, slapping has hand across Rick's shoulder and leaving it there. "Well how's that for a fortuitous meeting, running into you, here." He grinned at Rick, eyes twinkling cheekily as he crowded in closer to him. "Been watching your beautiful face watching me for this whole year, and now here we are." Rick was now backed up against the basin, eyes wide because he couldn't believe this was happening. His heart had started pounding.

"Now that I'm not grading your papers any more, maybe we could head into that stall over there and I could grade your BJ?" The professor propositioned drunkenly.

Rick couldn't seem to manage to say anything, and in the absence of a 'No' Negan leaned in and kissed Rick full on the mouth. And when Rick still didn't say anything, he kissed him deeper, using his tongue.

Rick's pulse quickened just thinking about it. It took another kiss for Rick to act. He pushed against Negan slightly, in order to move out of his embrace. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry Professor Negan. I can't do this, my girlfriend is just out there.. and I'm not. I mean, I don't know.... I gotta go. Sorry." Rick had been backing out towards the door the whole time he rambled, and with that he was outside, returning to Lori's side, leaving Negan with a big grin on his face. Rick was so shaken, he told Lori he had food poisoning so they could leave. He just wanted to be home alone.

Rick had dwelled on that event for weeks after. Lori, Shane, everyone wanted to know what was wrong, as he begged off every social activity possible, in favour of staying home and trying to figure out what the hell was going on. It had taken all his self-control not to contact Professor Negan.

Instead, Rick eventually decided to follow Lori's example and get busy too. He took a casual job with a construction company, and every minute he wasn't at school, studying or training with the track team, he was on a building site. He liked the way his muscles ached at the end of each day. His boss said he was one of the hardest workers he had ever had, not realising that Rick was purposely trying to run himself into the ground. Exhaustion was a relief, and the only way he could sleep at night. The only way to stop himself from.... wanting or desiring something he didn't think he should. He also appreciated the way his bank account increased, and was proud of how he recently managed to buy his car out-right.

Still, despite his best attempts, his subconscious apparently could not rest as easy. In his dreams there was always someone. Someone Rick could not put a face, age, voice or gender to. Someone that kissed, touched, stroked and caressed him as he slept. Someone who made him come like a teenager, waking alone, drenched in sweat, having soiled his sheets with that shameful sticky mess... the memory of the touch, so vivid, so real for a few moments. His subconscious still desired, but even it didn't seem to know who it wanted.

Rick had been wandering, so lost in thought, he hadn't paid any attention to which was he was going. It was amazing how here, surrounded by so many people, tens of thousands of strangers, that he had felt he could allow himself some introspection. Welcomed it, even.

He paused, to try to gain his bearings. He had a reasonable sense of direction usually, and unlike Shane, had paid studious attention to the camp map during the weeks leading up to the festival. Taking stock, he settled on the direction he thought his camp was in, and turned down a road to make his way back. Despite all this, he still got it slightly wrong the first time, finally realising he needed to be one avenue west and block further north. He was even more impressed with Daryl's navigation skills yesterday.

It was just after 6pm by the time he made it back to the tent, and he was happy to see everyone was awake and already gathered there. Everyone except for Daryl, anyway.

"Rick! Thank god you're back. We started to think we'd be going back to Georgia without you or Shane." Michonne chided, her voice somewhat subdued compared to the morning.

"Nah, you wouldn't be going anywhere. I've got the keys!" Rick removed his car keys from his pocket and dangled them from his fingers. Then incredulously. "Shane's still not back?"

"Nope. You know what his sense of direction is like" Maggie added. Rick did some kind of shaking his head and rolling his eyes... and decided not to mention he had been a little lost too.

"He's been gone for over 24 hours now though, when should we start to worry?" He wondered out loud, his friends only shrugging. Rick knew if it had been one of the girls missing, he would be out searching, and considering calling the police. But that was partly because it would be out of character for them to take off, whereas it was completely in character for Shane. Also, if nothing else, Shane had good self-preservation instincts and generally knew how to take care of himself.

"How is everyone feeling now?" he asked.

"Argh, don't ask" Andrea moaned, holding her head in her hands. She looked a lot more worse-for-wear than the others. Merle on the other hand, was positively chipper, singing as he once again took it upon himself to make dinner for everyone.

Rick figured Dale didn't know the extent of what Andrea got up to the previous evening, because he heard him give a small lecture on why she shouldn't drink too much.

"I think we should go to Neon bar tonight." Michonne suggested.

"Yes, that is supposed to be amazing." Andrea perked up. Rick thought she seemed to be happy to do anything Michonne suggested. They already seemed like two peas in a pod.

"I'm in." Said Glenn. Maggie and Rick nodded in agreement.

"I'd come with you kids, but I've invited some friends over here... Hopin you don't mind if we sit out in your camp, Rick?" Merle asked. Rick was intrigued with how everyone seemed to refer to it as his camp, although he had noticed a tendency in the past for that sort of thing to happen. Anytime there was a group assignment at University, he tended to be voted leader.

"Sure Merle, as long as everyone else is ok with it." Which of course they were.

A little later, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne, Andrea and Rick headed to Neon bar, which as the name suggested, was brightly and colourfully lit with hundreds of neon lights. It was of course very busy, but eventually they managed to find a long bar-table and enough stools to all sit around it.

They had been there for a few hours, Maggie had them all in hysterics with tales of some of the things that could and did go wrong on the farm, and her Dad's reaction to them. Hershel tended to be a very serious man, but he knew how to crack a smile when there was no other choice. Glenn took over with funny tales of his family and the restaurant, and also of the prank calls they received at the pizza place. Rick laughed along with everyone, truly enjoying himself, and had lost count of how many beers he'd consumed when he felt a strong hand rest on his shoulder. He turned slowly, knowing somehow that it was Daryl.

"Hey, is this another amazing coincidence?" He grinned.

"Nah man, went back to camp and Merle told me where you guys headed, thought I'd come and see if I could find you. Like it here too, it's my favourite bar at this place." He had been talking only to Rick, staring intently into his eyes, then shifted his gaze to include everyone at the table. "Anyone need a drink?" They all did, so Rick accompanied Daryl to the bar to help carry the drinks.

"How did today go?"

"Not bad. They were pretty disorganised when I got there, but I managed to whip them into shape."

"Is that so?" Asked Rick, as a strange image of Daryl with a whip crossed his mind.

"Nah, not at all. But I think I was able to contribute a little. It's going to be an amazing installation. Gets switched on tomorrow night, so I'll go back and see it." Daryl paid for the drinks and they carried them back, together.

The night continued to pass quickly, with the six of them exchanging easy banter. Particularly as they realised how much they had in common, with how many area's in Georgia they knew. Rick, Maggie and Shane had actually grown up quite close to Daryl, attending school in neighbouring districts, just miles apart. They had frequented may of the same places, and generally knew the same towns and streets, and various teenage haunts, although Daryl implied he hadn't spent a lot of time hanging out with friends from school.

At one stage, Daryl looked out at the crowd passing on the avenue that ran past the front of the bar. "Hey, isn't that Shane?" he asked Rick and the girls, who quickly turned to see where he was pointing. Rick caught a quick glimpse of someone who might have been Shane. He certainly looked a lot like him, but he was swept up in the crowds, and again too far away for him to call out.

"Ahhh, it might have been him. But was he wearing a sarong?" Asked Michonne incredulously.

"Wasn't it a dress?" Rick asked.

"No, it was definitely a skirt, or a sarong" Maggie affirmed. "Don't you know the difference between a skirt and a dress, Rick"

"Yeah, Rick" Daryl teased.. "Can't believe you don't know the difference."

"Christ, why am I being ganged up on? Shane is the one wearing the damn dress. Skirt. Sarong, Whatever it is." Rick was overly dramatic, using his hands for emphasis. Everyone broke up with laughter, except Daryl, who looked over at him with an easy grin and those twinkling eyes.

There wasn't a lot of room at the table, and Rick and Daryl were sitting close enough that their legs were touching. Rick liked the feeling, and wondered if Daryl was purposely pushing his leg against his own. He tested it out by applying some pressure with his leg, and was pleased to feel Daryl's leg push against his harder. For a brief, electrifying moment whilst Daryl was deep in conversation with Michonne, his hand casually rested on Rick's knee under the table. Rick tried to focus on conversation and _not_ grin like an idiot.

Overall, he had a great night. It was probably the most fun he had had socially, since.. well, since he could remember. He had a definite buzz from the beer, but he wasn't exactly drunk, and he had enjoyed spending the hours with his friends. And, he definitely enjoyed spending time with Daryl. The six of them got along really well. They ambled back to camp, falling naturally into three groups of two. Andrea and Michonne, Glenn and Maggie and Daryl and himself.


	3. Tuesday

The next day was Tuesday and Rick woke with a slight headache, which might have been caused by how thirsty he was. He remembered back to the festival survival guide and how much water he should be drinking each day, and reckoned he hadn't been keeping up with even half of that. Of course, the headache could have been from the beer too. Either way, water was the answer.

"Has everyone been drinking enough water?" He asked when he emerged from the tent.

"Good point Rick, I was not long ago saying that very thing." Dale said.

Mere muttered something like "Water's for wimps."

"Plan's this morning?" Daryl asked quietly, when Rick sat down next to him.

"Nope, you got a suggestion."

"Yeah I do. What to take you to see something."

"Ok, sure." Rick agreed. After drinking more water, visiting the toilets, brushing his teeth, and then eating some breakfast, Rick felt a hundred times better than when he woke up.

"Ready when you are." He told Daryl.

"C'mon." Daryl held out his hand to help Rick up, and for a split second seemed like he was going to hold onto it, but he let go, as he led the way.

"Let's grab some coffee first."

They walked in comfortable silence to the cafe Rick had been to yesterday. The festival was so different in the morning, it was slower, more relaxed. It also wasn't sweltering yet.

They drank coffee as Daryl enquired about Rick's major in college, and what he intended to do once he was finished.

"Promise not to laugh?" Rick asked

"Course not."

"I want to be a cop. I'm going to join the police force. Almost did it straight from High School, but my parents convinced me to go to college first, said it would make me a better cop. I think I've started to come around to their way of thinking."

Daryl smirked. "Ain"t never gotten on real well with cops, I'll be honest with you. But I reckon you might be better than the ones I've met so far."

There was a break in the conversation before Rick asked something he had been wondering about.

"Hey, why haven't I seen you with a camera? I thought this place would be a photographer's dream?"

Daryl looked sheepish. "I didn't bring my camera." He paused for effect. "But I still don't know if I've made a huge mistake though."

"Why?"

"Well, I've been promising myself for years now that I'd start focussing on my art. You know, drawing, painting. I've brought my camera here before, got thousands of photos, but sometimes it just takes over, and I don't end up doing anything else. Anyway, long story, but I left the camera at home because I'm kind of addicted to it.... so now I'm feeling a bit antsy about that."

"Antsy? Really, you look so calm and collected."

"Yeah, well, antsy for me might be "somewhat apprehensive" for your average man." Daryl joked, and Rick laughed.

When their coffees were finished, Daryl led the way. "I think, well, I hope you'll like this place. And I think you might find it helpful." He explained as they headed to somewhere called The Temple of Reflection. It was a little away from the main area of the campsite, and it took then almost an hour to walk there.

"The idea of this place" Daryl explained as they approached "is to bring your troubles here and leave them behind. You're supposed to think about any worries or problems you have before crossing the threshold, then mediate on them inside, and then most importantly, leave them here before exiting. It probably sounds weird, but I've been in here before, and it really can work. If you let it. "

"How long do we stay here?" Rick asked.

"As long as you need. 10 minutes. 10 hours?" He laughed at Rick's incredulous expression. "Don't worry, you'll know."

They entered the temple and were immediately inside the high walled main-area. Rick could hardly believe this place had been constructed just weeks prior, and would be torn down at the end of the festival, to leave no trace. The inside walls were intricately carved and painted, and there were myriad of colourful cushions and blankets strewn around. There were only a handful of people here.

"It'll get busier during the day" Daryl commented, leading Rick over to a side wall, arranging pillows for them to lay down on side-by side. when then settled down, they were close enough to touch, but weren't quite.

"You're not supposed to talk in here, but people often whisper really quietly." Daryl said quietly. "I'll probably be here for a little while, you should go if you like, or otherwise stay as long as you need" he explained. "I can meet you back at camp at four fingers, if I don't catch you sooner. The idea is that once you feel your worries start to lift, you should leave, depositing your burdens in the chalice by the door."

Rick nodded. This place had the most amazing atmosphere, he had never experienced anything like it. He breathed deeply and sunk back further into the cushions. he also let his left leg turn out a little, which meant his knee and lower leg were touching Daryl's right leg, which felt nice.

Rick lay back to contemplate, a myriad of feelings and emotions crossing his mind. He thought about how he had felt his whole life was a compromise, almost a lie.. How he was never really sure he was living the life he really wanted to. Never really sure what _he_ wanted, but always wanting to do the right thing for everyone else.. These thought swirled round and round in Rick's head. Lori, Negan, even how he used to fantasise about Shane. And the shame and anxiety of it all.

Some time later he realised he was crying silent tears... and when he realised he was crying for himself, it made the tears flow more freely. A little later he felt Daryl lay a comforting hand on his upper arm, in a kind of pat, to signify he was ready to leave. Rick nodded in understanding but didn't turn to meet his eyes.

After a few hours of contemplation an embryonic idea began flittering in and out of his mind; That maybe, just maybe, things weren't as bad as he feared. It was such a comforting thought, such an easy _out_ , that he was initially unsure if he could allow himself to buy into it. But what if? He wasn't going to just discount all of the concerns and anxiety of the past six months, year, _life_ , but what If? What if it was just a new perspective that was required?

Rick knew he had been there for hours, but didn't realise it was over _five_ hours, when he finally stood squinting, at the door of the temple. He looked at the chalice, but although he wasn't sure he was ready to throw away his worries just yet, he thought he might have started down that path, and that alone was a huge lift to his spirits.

He blinked into the afternoon sun as he exited, fumbling to put on his sunglasses. He took a lot of deep breaths to orient himself now back in the "real word".

Rick felt.. well, he almost had no comparison, but calm and optimistic for the first time in a long time. And _happy_. He scanned his surroundings to properly take in all the brilliant colours of the festival and how they contrasted with the stark white earth and fantastic blue sky, and how the dust swirled up on the horizon, seeming to meet the incredible cloud patterns in the sky.

It was scorching as usual and as Rick trained his eyes into the distance, he could see the wavy lines generated by the refracted hot and cool air escaping from the desert floor, causing the mirage of an oasis. He thought again about the vastness of this place and how it would feel to be lost out in the desert, or any wilderness he supposed, but in this heat, and with no water. He was glad he only had to worry about getting lost in the festival, where he could always ask someone for directions if it came that.

He walked slowly towards the main camp, opting to take the long route, maybe subconsciously testing his sense of direction. After a while he found himself in an artist's village where each camp was painted in a continuous Rivera-esque mural. It was breathtaking. As were the various wares for sale here, jewellery and clothing mostly. He wandered around here for a while, stopping to chat with the various inhabitants.

Still lost in thought, distracted by the many sights and colours, Rick wandered some more. Someone incredibly, handed him a bacon sandwich and a small cup of water, and he consumed both hungrily, feeling a little guilty at not having anything to share, but mostly feeling extremely grateful.

Later, as Rick made his way back to camp, he sat down and listened to a young woman play the harp, and when he could convince himself to move, he wandered further and watched a condensed performance of Macbeth.

It was already about 6 fingers by the time Rick got back to camp. He liked how their camp had become the afternoon meeting-place, as they had all continued the meet for drinks tradition. Merle, Daryl and the occupants of the RV had all left their chairs in front of their tent, and now seemed to congregate there.

Daryl was sitting cross legged on the ground, a sketch pad sprawled in front of him. He looked up as Rick entered.

Michonne and Merle were there too. "Rick, you might consider using some sunscreen from now on. You're starting to glow." Michonne commented.

Was he? Oops, that might explain why he was feeling so warm. He had told himself before coming here that he would apply it each morning, and so far he had forgotten. Water, and sunscreen, must remember.

"Yeah, you're right.. Just don't look so smug about it ok." he scolded his African American friend playfully.

"Ya still look cute." Daryl drawled, and Rick thought he probably went even redder at that.

"So what's on the agenda for this evening" Rick asked. "And where's Maggie?" He looked at Michonne, but Merle replied.

"Her and the Korean boy are in your tent. I wouldn't go in there if I were you." He added with a smug smile.

Rick raised an eyebrow at Michonne but didn't say anything. He wasn't surprised, he had seen the way Maggie looked at Glenn.

" _Still_ no sign of Shane?" He asked.

"Nada." replied Michonne. "Andrea and I covered a lot of ground earlier, but no sign since the possible sighting last night. Andrea is out with Amy, who was complaining she hasn't gotten to see enough of the sights yet."

"Yeah, I covered a lot of ground today too... kind of got lost in my head." He and Daryl exchanged a knowing glance "and forgot where I was going.. but no sign of Walsh. You think we'll get him back before it's time to go home?"

"Not sure, but admittedly it would be an easier trip without him." She laughed.

"Maybe, except I'd have to drive the whole way back, instead of most of the way." Rick returned.

Michonne slugged him on the arm "What are you talking about? I drove for 3 hours straight one day."

"Yeah, and that was the extent of your driving." He responded good naturedly.

Rick sat down next to Daryl and looked at his drawing. It was a detailed sketch of the temple of Reflection.

"That's amazing, he said quietly, knowing the artist would not like a fuss.

"Thanks. So how did you go today?"

"You were right, that place was incredible. Very humbling. I was there for half the day. And eventually I did start to feel a little better. You know, unburdened. And then I also needed to take a piss, so I had to leave." Rick finished with a laugh, and Daryl laughed too.

"I'm glad it helped." he said.

A little later, Dale ambled over, and Rick gave him an overview of the Temple of Reflection, summarising and glossing over his own experience a little. Then Amy and Andrea joined the camp, and not much later Merle let out a series of wolf whistles as Maggie and Glenn emerged from the tent holding hands.

Rick felt a little sorry for Glenn, who looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him up, but Maggie took it in her stride, going over and planting a big kiss on Merle's forehead.

He noticed Andrea give Glenn a small high five when he sat down next to her.

"So, what's everyone doing tonight?" Maggie echoed Rick's unanswered question from earlier.

Rick had already decided he didn't really care what he did, as long as he would be spending the time with Daryl. He looked over at him at the same time Daryl looked at him. The older man raised his eyebrows, and Rick nodded in reply.

"Me and Rick are going to go check out my friends art installation. You're all welcome to join us if you like?"

"No way, we're going to see Terminus, they rock." Andrea replied.

Michonne looked a little let down, as though she would have been interested, but was obviously more interested in spending time with her new bestie. Glenn and Merle wanted to see the band too.

After they ate, Rick and Daryl farewelled everyone and headed to the outdoor gallery. About halfway there, Daryl reached for Rick's hand, and just like that they were holding hands as they walked.

When they arrived, they sat down side by side, hands still touching, watching in awe, along with everyone else at the lighting of the candles, and then as they were raised into the night's sky.

"It's beautiful." Rick whispered.

"It is." Daryl agreed.

They stayed for an hour.

Rick was enthusiastic as they walked away. "This place is incredible. Almost beyond description. I love it here. I feel like..." He looked at Daryl. "Do you run?"

"What? Like for fun? No. Sometimes I run after deer when I'm hunting, but mostly I just walk. Can walk for days on end though. Why?"

"I feel like running. I feel like I need to burn off some energy. Run with me? He asked.

"Sure" the older man grinned. "why not run in the desert, in the dark with tens of thousands of people milling around everywhere." But Rick ignored the sarcasm and grabbed his hand and dragged him into a run. It was a jog first, slowly gaining pace until they were running along, still holding hands... Rick felt like _giggling_. He felt like a little kid as they ran, hand-in-hand, mostly managing to dodge other festival participants.

They ran together for about 10 minutes, before Daryl stopped them. "Shit, should stop smoking, can't catch my breath." He leaned forward, hands on his knees. "What are you, a marathon runner?" he asked.

"Aahhh, yeah actually, I'm on track and I have run one marathon, got a decent time too. Been lucky with running, just seem to have the right body-type, not prone to injury and stuff. Always just found it easy."

Daryl glanced up and appraised Rick from his bent-over position. "Yeah, I guess you do have the right body-type" he said and it sounded kind of, suggestive.

Rick tilted his head. "Hey. Can I ask you something?" He said a little falteringly.

Daryl raised an eye brow.

"When I first met Merle, before you showed up. He said that you would like me. Why?"

"Ahhh, yeah, well old Merle can be sort of.... uncanny like that I suppose." Daryl allowed.

"But what did he mean?"

"Guess I have a _type_ and he knows it."

"Oh yeah, so what's your type?"

Daryl straightened up and allowed his eyes to rake slowly up and down the younger man's body as he spoke, pausing between each item. "Lean. Blue eyes. Narrow hips. Stubble. Fucking gorgeous." He met Rick's eyes, his own glinting wickedly. Rick was struck silent, as Daryl moved closer, crowding him.

Rick stood his ground and closed his eyes as Daryl planted his lips on his briefly. He drew back, assessed the look on Rick's face, and apparently nothing he saw there made him think he shouldn't do it again, now moving his lips greedily. Rick managed to respond this time, moving his lips also, and parting them to allow Daryl's tongue in to explore his mouth.

The festival could have come to a grinding halt for all the two men would have noticed it. Daryl sucked hungrily at Ricks mouth, his arms circling the younger man, pulling him closer, moulding their bodies together. The pressure against his lips was bruising, yet Rick still felt like he wanted more, to be closer. Daryl licked and sucked and swirled his tongue around, now practically assaulting Rick's mouth, and although it was hard and desperate, it was also somehow graceful and finessed.

Rick returned the kiss as best he could, trying to keep up with the more experienced man, loving everything about how it made him feel, wanting to return the feeling, wanting to drink Daryl in too. And the stirring he felt in his pants, it made it hotter, it made him want more. So much more.

Eventually Daryl pulled back gently, gasping for breath. "Think maybe I should have done that before running a mile through the desert." he grinned and they started walking again, holding hands. "Knew taking you to the temple was a good idea."

"It was a good idea." Rick allowed. "But think you had me with that yoga stretch the other night."

Daryl stopped walking and stared at Rick hungrily, before releasing a frustrated, growl, followed by "Stupid fucking festival with no walls."

"Walls?" asked Rick, looking around, confused.

"Yeah, walls. I need a fucking wall to slam you into and pin you against." He growled.

They were words that went straight to Rick's cock and caused him to almost tackle the other man in his attempt to get closer, finding suddenly he wanted to touch him everywhere at once, and finding quickly why a wall would be handy as they struggled to keep their balance.

They managed to stop kissing each other long enough to walk back to camp, which Rick was relieved to find empty - although he knew Dale and Amy would be in the RV trying to sleep.

"Shit, I'm so sweaty, this dust feels like it's caked on now." Rick exclaimed.

"Yeah, me too. Want to grab a shower?"

"Seriously? I didn't think there were any showers here."

"Not many, and it's frowned on for the water usage... But some of the camps will trade for them. Will probably cost us some beer, or food, or both."

They both grabbed clean clothes and towels. Rick picked up one of Shane's six-packs, and Daryl grabbed some beef jerky, and at the last minute, his sketch pad.

Rick raised an eyebrow.

"You'll see.. if it works."

Daryl found them a shower incredibly close-by. The girls who ran it had an elaborate evaporation set-up, and charged two beers per shower, or as it turned out, Daryl's sketch of the Temple of Reflection, for two showers.

They each had one minute for a shower, which was about nine minutes too short, but better than nothing... Feeling like he was about to start a race, Rick took a deep breath and washed furiously as soon as the water turned on. There was a half-height wall that gave relative privacy below rib-height.. he soaped, and rinsed and repeated.. and it was all over before he had a chance to think about the ridiculousness of the situation, quickly towelling-dry and re-dressing. Daryl did the same, and they walked hand-in-hand back to their still-empty camp.

"In here." He dragged Daryl into the tent.

"Shit, this tent is even bigger inside." The older man proclaimed, as Rick pulled him into the bedroom.

"Mmmmm." Rick felt incapable of speech all of a sudden. He just wanted to get his shirt off, and he wanted Daryl's off too. Rick practically ripped his own T-shirt in his haste to get it over his head, and then attacked Daryl's sleeveless top with the same fervour.

Finally shirtless, but still in jeans, they sank to their knees kissing, still pressed close, arms wrapped around each other. Rick threaded one knee between Daryl's in order to grind against his hip.

"Can't get enough of your lips." Daryl practically groaned between kisses, his hand behind Rick's head pulling his mouth in hard against his own.

Rick couldn't get enough of Daryl's bare chest and arms, as he ran his hands all over his muscular shoulders and biceps. When Daryl eventually managed to migrate his lips from Rick's and kiss and suck the stubble on his chin, and then down to his neck and collar bone, Rick's already wired body came alive, and his over-loaded brain shut down. He lost the ability to even open his mouth, much less form the words to tell Daryl. He simply clung to him even more tightly, unable to silence a moan as his body shuddered and wracked with his climax.

"Shit." He muttered, once he could speak. He was embarrassed beyond belief. His body was still pressed to Daryl's, his face buried against his neck. What a way to highlight his inexperience and ruin everything. But Daryl knew, and used the hand he had behind Rick's head to tilt it back and look into his eyes.

"That was dead set one of the hottest things I've ever experienced. You better not be thinking about apologising for it." He kissed Rick's neck some more and whispered. "Loved feeling your body against mine as you came. Felt _amazing_." He kissed Rick's lips. "And so you know, I've been exerting a significant amount of self-control here too." He kissed Rick's chest.

Rick responded by pushing Daryl down on the mattress and leaning down to kiss and lick his chest, because that sounded like a _challenge._ He sucked on Daryl's nipples, and ran his hand down over the bulge in his pants.

"Oh god." Daryl groaned as he inadvertently bucked his hips at Rick's touch. Rick continued sucking at Daryl's chest, and at the same time tried to undo the other man's pants, but it required a level of coordination he didn't really possess right now, so he stopped kissing him in order to see what he was doing. When he finally had Daryl unzipped, he reached in and withdrew his very large, very hard cock. Rick looked at it for a while, as though he wasn't sure what to do, but impulse and sheer desire overtook any logical thought and he brought his mouth closer, and wrapped his lips around it.

"Oh FUCK." Daryl exclaimed, this time trying very hard not to let his hips buck, in order not to hurt him. "Oh god, don't stop"

Rick didn't plan on stopping. Now that he had Daryl's cock in his mouth he had already decided he loved everything about giving this man a blow job. He loved the taste and smell of Daryl, he loved the hardness, the size. He bobbed up and down, probably only taking about half of the length in, but Rick wasn't going to beat himself up over it considering it was his first time... And considering the noises Daryl was making. He drank in the pre-cum leaking from Daryl's cock and swirled his tongue around the head and over the slit causing more expletives to fall from the other mans mouth.

Then he sucked in and out again, this time massaging Daryl's balls with one hand.

"Oh Jesus Rick, you had better stop, I'm really close."

Somewhere in the fog of his brain, Rick realised he wasn't completely sure what constituted safe-oral-sex, and thought it was possible that ship had already sailed, but even so, and even though he _really_ wanted to taste Daryl's cum in his mouth, he finally erred on the side of caution and swapped his lips for his hand. It was only seconds before Daryl's stomach was painted white with his release.

And Daryl was right, it was extremely hot watching the other guy come. He started to feel a bit less embarrassed about earlier.

Daryl sat up. "Fucking hell Rick, that mouth." He traced Rick's lips with his fingers, then kissed him deeply again. "I'm supposed to believe you've never done that before?" He joked.

Rick smiled. "There's always room for improvement, you know.. .practice... " He was silent for a while. "Is it.... The sex.. is it always like that?" He asked. Nervous again. "I mean, I know we didn't, exactly... but, is it?"

Daryl lay back down, and Rick lay next to him, his head resting on Daryl's arm, both staring at the roof of the tent.

"No" Daryl's voice was quiet "It's not always like that." He had that melancholy tone Rick had noticed before, but this time he wasn't scared to pursue it more.

"So, how is it, usually?"

"It can be like that sometimes. But... there are.. there've been other times too... where it's just quick. You know, quick and rough and dirty. No bed, no kissing." Daryl's voice was still quiet and a little solemn, but not sad.

"Was it like that with that guy.. Merle's friend?

"Martinez. No, I liked him a lot. It was sweet between us. We were both so young, sixteen maybe.. We didn't know what we were doing," he chuckled "but it was nice."

"What happened?" Rick asked propping himself up on his side, so he could look at Daryl.

"My Dad. Didn't take kindly to having a _fag_ as a son. He didn't like me anyways, even before he knew, he would sometimes rough me up, but nothing I couldn't handle.. but when he came home one day and found Martinez and I on my bed.. I mean, luckily it wasn't five minutes earlier, so we were basically dressed and just sitting next to each other, but he knew. One look and he knew what we'd been doing. Could see it on our faces. Could smell it."

Daryl met Rick's eyes. "Beat the living shit out of both of us. Put me in hospital for weeks. Broke all my ribs and my left arm, collapsed my lung, and had to have my spleen taken out. Martinez was thankfully slightly better off, just a broken arm. He never came round after that, can't say I blame him."

Rick exhaled quickly at the unfairness of it, thinking of himself at sixteen, the occasional grounding the worst punishment he had experienced, by far. That Daryl was beaten so badly by his own father he ended up in hospital for weeks, was unthinkable.

"Wasn't even the worst of it. Had to live with him for another 2 years before he finally keeled over from a heart-attack. Beat me at least once a week after I got out of hospital."

"Jesus."

"Yeah, it's shit, right? No one should be subjected to it, let alone a kid. I know that now. But you know, I got through it. Got good work as a photographer now. I've travelled all over the world for work, and I've had a couple exhibits, even some for my drawings. Only thing that hasn't been going that well probably, besides occasional nightmares, is my sex life, which usually comprises a bathroom stall, or a back alley someone in the seedier part of whatever town I happen to be in."

He met Rick's eyes and grimaced... "Um. That is probably a huge turn-off, think I should stop talking now."

Rick leaned over and kissed him slowly, but in a way that showed him he was definitely not turned off, and they both drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note to say I almost abandoned this fic, in fact, I did for about a fortnight, debating what to do about getting these guys into a shower. Is that stupid? What do you think? I toyed with leaving them dirty and dusty, but found I couldn't do it. Would they care or not? Maybe not. But anyway, the number of times I googled 'Dirty Festival Sex' is outrageous !


	4. Wednesday

When Rick woke the next morning, he was laying on his side and Daryl was plastered against his back, one heavy arm draped across his chest. He never wanted to move, it was the most comfortable he could remember being for ages, maybe ever.

He lay awake for a while, just enjoying the feeling. As Daryl woke, he lazily moved his hand over Rick's side and started kissing the back of his neck.

"Mmmmmm." Rick sighed contentedly as Daryl's hand moved further over his body.

"Maybe I get to actually touch you, this morning" Daryl commented, as his hand moved to Rick's groin, rubbing over his already hard cock.

Rick was still having trouble with his words, so he moaned instead as Daryl's hand slipped under his boxers and wrapped around him. Rick could feel Daryl's hardness against his backside, and his warm breath on his neck as the man ground up against him, pumping his hand faster and faster.

They were both breathing heavily, and Rick stopped trying to keep his moans quiet.

After Rick's release, they swapped positions and he returned the favour, which also didn't take long. Rick thought that he could happily spend the rest of the week in this tent, doing this with Daryl, but eventually, they would need the toilet, or food maybe, so after some more kissing and touching they dressed and cleaned up as much as possible.

"I promised I'd help take down the installation today." Daryl said. "Might take a while too, lots of fiddly packing up to do, then loading trucks. Pain in the arse really, it's going to take hours."

"Want some help?"

"Nah, it's cool. Maybe just let Merle know if you head out somewhere in particular tonight, and I'll try to catch up with you there." Daryl gave him a long slow kiss, which had Rick again wondering about the validity of simply staying put, indefinitely.

He felt a little nervous about the reaction of their friends, but that didn't stop him from holding Daryl's hand as they emerged from the tent, although he did wonder how he would feel if he thought Shane would be sitting out there, and whether he'd be so game in that case.

Maggie peered over at them. "Aww you guys look so cute."

Andrea turned to Michonne, whose jaw had dropped. "Told you so."

Even Dale looked unsurprised.. And Merle? In between wolf-whistling, he was positively beaming. Glenn and Amy looked a little surprised, but hid it well.

"Show's over." Daryl said to everyone, but staring at Merle a little longer.

Rick tried to distract his two female friends in particular. "So I was thinking we should maybe harder to find Shane today?"

"You mean try harder than doing nothing at all?" Michonne asked with a grin, to which Rick nodded, a slightly guilty look on his face.

"You could put a notice up on the communal board, he might see that." Dale suggested.

"Thanks, yeah. And then I'll spend a few hours actually searching for him too."

Daryl ate breakfast quickly, then squeezed Rick's hand goodbye and headed out to help his friends.

Maggie and Michonne eagerly agreed to accompany Rick, although he knew it was because they couldn't wait to grill him about Daryl.

'How long have you known for? Is this why you and Lori broke up? Have there been other guys? Is Daryl as hot without his clothes on.' To which the answers were: Two days or maybe a lifetime. Yes. No. Hotter.

It was an interrogation, but Rick didn't really mind. The girls meant well, and were genuinely curious.

Michonne declared that she was floored by the revelation, she had never ever given consideration to the idea that Rick might be gay.

But when she wandered out of ear-shot Maggie said to him in that no-nonsense, yet gentle voice that it had on occasion occurred to her that he might be into guys. "I think because I've known you for longer than Michonne has, and I used to see the way you looked at Shane sometimes. I wondered about it." And when Rick looked a little stricken at the words. "Don't worry, I don't think anyone else could see it, least of all Shane."

"I did have a thing for Shane, but that was a long time ago." He admitted.

"Rick it's ok. I never have, and never would tell anyone. I'm just happy to see you happy." She gave him that wide country-girl-next-door smile and he kissed her cheek, saying a silent thank you not for the first time over the years, that he had Maggie as a friend.

"And you look pretty happy too." He commented. "Glenn seems like a good guy. I really like him."

"I like him too, but you don't think that maybe he's a bit, well, I don't know. A bit geeky? She asked. "I mean, he's really into computer games, and he seems to have been pretty sheltered by his family."

"And you're not sheltered by your family?" Rick asked.

"No!" It was indignant. "I do loads of stuff my Dad, even Beth knows nothing about. Who gets us into all the trouble back home?"

"Shane?" Rick supplied.

"No. Ok, yes, but me as well!" She laughed. "Who brought you here to this festival then?"

"You." Rick relented with a laugh. "Look Mags, I actually think Glenn seems pretty tuned in and cluey, and loyal. Like the kind of guy who would have your back if the shit hit the fan, you know, in a show-down with aliens, or a zombie apocalypse." Rick replied.

"Zombie apocalypse? Right, well I guess that could come in handy." She laughed.

"Guys, look at these." Michonne called over to them.

They had wandered into a market-place and Michonne had found a stall with an eclectic mix of jewellery, leather goods, antiques and, what she was currently holding - a large curved sword, still sheathed.

"Suits you." Rick observed, as she moved the sword slowly but almost expertly in large arcs. The stall owner came to observe and also appeared to approve, saying she looked like a fitting warrior, and offering it to her if she had something appropriate to trade. He explained that it was of Japanese origin, and called a 'Katana'.

She swished it around again, but then reluctantly handed it back. "I'm pretty sure weapons aren't allowed here, and anyway, what am I going to do with a _Katana_ back home?"

"See, zombie apocalypse, what have I been saying?" Rick whispered to Maggie who rolled her eyes.

It was the leather goods that caught Rick's eye. One item in particular, a hand-made leather cuff, with intricate arrow-head cut outs. He knew immediately who it would look good on.

Before he could think it through, he was handing over his sunglasses in exchange for the cuff, placing it around his wrist for safe-keeping.

They wandered all day, Rick found that whilst Maggie had no idea where they were at any given point, Michonne seemed to have an innate sense of direction, probably better than his own, maybe as good as Daryl's. They meandered through the installations, performances and theme camps, but all came to a halt at the sight of a naked man and woman entering one of the larger communal tents.

"Not so sure we want to go there." Michonne commented, but Rick and Maggie couldn't contain their curiosity, inching forwards to peer around the doors into what looked to be an orgy. They stared, stunned for a few seconds before slowly backing away.

"What is it, tell me?" Michonne demanded.

"Sex." Blurted Maggie, blushing. "And lot's of it."

"Guess we found an orgy tent." Rick commented, also a little flustered. "You want to have a look?" He asked cheekily, knowing what the answer would be.

"God no, let's get out of here." Michonne snapped.

It was one thing to field questions from his female friends, about Daryl and his sexuality, but another thing completely to watch people have sex in front of them. That was definitely outside their friendship comfort zone. He remembered the times Shane had convinced him to watch porn together when they were younger, and how he didn't enjoy that either.

They wandered in uncomfortable silence for a little while before Rick broke the ice. "Don't suppose you noticed if Shane was in there?" He asked Maggie.

She grinned at him. "No, maybe we should go back and check."

"Jeez you two, obsessed with sex, what is going on here? First she shacks up with this random guy." Michonne jerked her finger at Maggie. "Then you do too. I don't know what's going on. This didn't happen last time we came here."

Michonne definitely seemed a little pissed at her friends for their hook-ups.

"What about Andrea?" Rick wondered.

"What about her?"

"Was just wondering if you two were.... "

"What? Just because you decide you're gay, you immediately assume I'm going to do the same thing?" She _was_ pissed.

"No, honestly, I didn't mean anything by it, you two just seem to get along really well. I don't usually see you make friends so quickly." Rick tried to placate her.

Michonne sighed and they walked further in silence until she said. "I really like her, we get along extremely well, and it's not lost on me how attractive she is. But no, I don't have romantic, or sexual, thoughts about her. I just like that she _gets_ me."

"We get you too, Chonne." Maggie replied, giving her a hug.

"And I'm glad you two talked me into coming here." Rick added, also giving Michonne a hug. "Let's take a break and have a drink." Rick suggested.

They found their way to a bar and sat down intending to have one drink, but that turned into three, then six, by which time they were all well and truly drunk and had forgotten all about looking for Shane.

When Michonne was occupied buying drinks, Rick and Maggie plotted a way to surprise her by getting her the Katana. Maggie said she had something appropriate to trade.

They ended up spending hours at the bar before heading home, Michonne being the one who finally pointed them in the right direction. Rick wandered behind, playing absently with the cuff, thinking about seeing Daryl.

When they reached camp however, it was empty save for Dale and Glenn who said they hadn't seen the Dixon brothers all evening. Maggie snuggled up next to Glenn, who was obviously pleased to see her.

Rick stayed up as long as he could, but once again, sleep took over and he reluctantly retired to the tent.

He woke up some hours later needing the bathroom. It was still night-time, but typically noisy. He left the tent, only to find Daryl alone outside, smoking.

"Hey." Rick rubbed his hands sleepily across his face. "What are you doin out here at this time?" This thing, whatever it was, with Daryl was so new, he wasn't sure if he should give him a kiss, touch his arm, or do nothing.

"Nightmares. Woke me up. Couldn't get back to sleep." The older man said.

He walked over to Daryl and dragged a chair so he could sit close, opposite him. He looked shaken, eyes haunted, and Rick picked up his hands.

"You have nightmares often?"

"Not too often, but sometimes. Used to dealing with them now though."

"Yeah, I can see that." Rick tried a gentle joke, to which Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Sorry I didn't get to see you today, got caught up with Maggie and Michonne. Ostensibly looking for Shane, but ahh, we may have had a bit too much to drink." Rick said ruefully. "And still no Shane."

"S"ok man."

Then Rick remembered. "Hey, I got you something. I came across this and thought of you." He unsnapped the cuff he was still wearing and held it out to show Daryl, before reaching for his hand, and fastening it around his strong, tanned wrist, letting his fingers linger on his arms.

Daryl admired the cuff and look Rick directly in the eyes. "I love it." he said simply, before studying it further. "It's really well made. How did you pay for it?"

"Ahhh, my sunglasses." Rick grimaced. And although he was sure now it had been the right thing to do, he would miss his sunnies.

"Wow, thanks man, that's really something." he said and reached over and pulled Rick into a gentle kiss. "You look tired. It's 4am. Best get some sleep and I'll see you in a few hours?"

"Got to take a leak, then will you come sleep in my tent? We can just sleep." He added the last sentence because he had just realised that Daryl looked completely worn out.

Daryl nodded and when Rick returned, let him lead him to his tent, and let Rick remove his shirt, and let Rick lay down behind him, one arm around his waist, holding him tightly.

Despite saying he couldn't sleep, Daryl was asleep within minutes, whereas Rick found slumber harder to come by, but eventually he drifted off, content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, not sure if Wednesday may have seemed a little dull, but I think Thursday will make up for it!


	5. Thursday

Daryl wasn't in the tent when Rick woke, but he found him outside along with everyone else. He sat down next to him and leaned over to look at what he was drawing in his sketch pad. Daryl placed his hand on Rick's knee, smiled at him and continued drawing what looked like an impression of the art installation from the other night.

Apparently the girls had decided they would hang around camp for a while today (for a change), and Amy would stay with them. Glenn of course wanted to stay with Maggie. Dale said he was going to head out to explore as he hadn't seen much so far. Merle had his tool box out and was going through it. Apparently he had promised a friend to help with the building of some of the structures required for the final nights" festivities. He was getting ready to go there now.

"Need some help?" Rick asked.

"Well, yeah Rick, that's awful nice of you to offer." Merle smiled, then looked pointedly at Daryl.

"Awwww Merle, you know I can't stand that guy." Daryl said, and at Rick's questioning look. "Fucking Philip Blake, Merle's know him for years, he's the one in charge of building the towers. Total douche-bag though, don't know how Merle can stand to talk to him, let alone work for him."

"Now, now Darlina, as you say, me an Phil, we go back years, he helped me though a rough situation one time and I owe him. And besides, I don't mind doing my share here. Like to be helpful. And I know you do too."

Daryl scowled but nodded.

"Sorry." Rick whispered.

"S'ok. So long as we don't have to talk to Philip."

Later, after they had breakfast, Daryl accompanied Rick in another search for Shane. They headed first to the community notice board, which Rick had forgotten about the day before, but he wasn't very hopeful anyway as he pinned up the note, because his was one of thousands. Shane definitely wasn't the kind of person to stop by and take the time to read any of these.

Then they wandered amongst the festival for a while, Rick navigating them back to the stall with the leather-goods and Katana. Maggie had given him her Indian-style poncho to barter, and luckily the owner recognised Rick, and agreed to the trade. After, they headed back to camp to deposit the Katana and collect more water, before setting out to find Merle.

It was almost a two hour walk in the stifling heat to where Merle was working. Out to what seemed like the middle of nowhere.... in what was already, the middle of nowhere, before eventually some structures came into sight.

From a distance, Rick could see six towers rising from the desert floor. They were spaced about 10 metres apart.. and each about 3 metres high, most with huge flowing sail's attached to them, billowing in the wind. There were people working up in some of the towers. One in particular swayed each time the wind blew from a particular direction... but it wasn't until they were much closer that Rick realised it was Merle was standing on the platform at the top of that tower, hammering away. He also noticed the wind was starting to really pick up.

Rick tapped Daryl on the shoulder and pointed. "You know, I don't like the look of this. C'mon." As the sails filled with air again, he broke into a sprint with Daryl close behind. They were about three hundred metres away, when an even larger gust suddenly came up, swirling more dust up from the ground and tilting the tower at a greater angle than before. This unbalanced Merle, causing him to fall over the edge with a loud shout, although incredibly he initially he managed to hang on with one hand, now screaming out for help. Rick picked up his pace as Merle lost his grip and fell, landing flat on his back. Rick ran, pumping his legs even faster, as he saw the tower teeter precariously, almost settle back down, and then lift up again as another gust of wind filled the sails.

He reached Merle just as it started to tip towards where he was sprawled. He skidded to a stop and grabbed the nearest part of the prone man, which happened to be his left foot, and dragged him back with all his strength as the tower came down with a crash, exactly where he had been laying. By this stage, Daryl had caught up and grabbed Merle's other foot to help drag him away, parts of the timber tower now laying in splinters around them.

Out of danger, Rick and Daryl both fell back, and they all sat on the ground for a while, staring at the devastation around them. Despite his fall, Merle managed to sit up, but he had apparently been winded and rendered speechless. In fact, for the first time since Rick had met him, the man actually looked serious.

"Well, shit." He drawled, eventually. "Didn't think it would actually tip over, you know... Was just having some fun enjoying the ride at first..." He grinned.

"Yeah, well it's always funny until someone loses a hand." Daryl quipped without a trace of humour, because it was true, the tower had fallen just where Merle's right arm had been before Rick pulled him out of the way.

"C'mon now little brother. I'm ok. Everything's fine.. thanks to yer boyfriend here." Merle clapped Rick's shoulder as his way of showing his appreciation, and Rick nodded, then stood up and helped Merle up, who then added. "Owe you one, I'll be sure to make it up to yer."

"Jeez Merle. Whatever, just please be more careful in future, ok?" Daryl took that resigned tone he often used when dealing with his brother.

"What the hell happened here?" A man had stormed over, obviously angry.

Daryl rose in one fluid movement from his sitting position and stalked menacingly into the other man's space. "What happened, Phillip, is that your unsecured fucking tower almost got my brother killed!" Daryl's usual easy-going nature had vanished as his whole body, from his face to his rippling arm muscles took on a threatening attitude. Rick watched on as the other man noticeably backed down from him.

"Is that right?" He turned to Merle. "Well I'm sorry to hear that Merle. Are you alright? Is everyone else here ok?"

"Hell Phil, I just got blown off one of your towers, and almost skittled by it. But yeah, I'm ok thanks to Rick, here. But I certainly don't appreciate the work conditions. I don't think I'll be puttin me hand up to help out again any-time soon."

Philip's cool expression drifted over, appraising Rick in a way that made his skin crawl. Rick looked at him through squinted eyes, his hands on hips. There was something about the man he didn't like. He couldn't put his finger on it, but could tell they would not get along. Daryl was right about him.

Rick and Daryl waited as Merle and Phillip sorted out some things, and then they even grudgingly agreed to pitch in and help clean up and move the mess of timber that had formed the tower, so no one would hurt themselves on it.

When they finished that task, the three of them headed back to camp, although Merle bode them farewell as they reached the festival outskirts, claiming he wanted to catch up with some other friends. Daryl grumbled a few times about Philip, but his bad mood seemed to evaporate the further they got from him. It was twilight when they finally arrived back at camp, where Daryl instructed Rick to grab his towel, with a whispered "I _need_ to put my lips on your skin."

Rick was happy to comply, because he needed Daryl's lips on his skin too, and they were both even sweatier and dirtier than the other day. They showered quickly, because, well, there was no choice about it, and ran back to Rick's tent.

With the "bedroom" door zipped shut, and the continuous noise of the festival giving them privacy, Rick looked at Daryl in the dull glow of the camp lantern.

"What do you want to do?" asked Daryl, with a small, teasing smile.

Rick dipped his gaze briefly, then raised his eyes slowly to meet Daryl's. He could see his own trust reflected back in the other man's face. "Everything. I want to do everything." He exhaled.

Daryl smiled softly and gently and took his hands, giving them a quick squeeze before letting go. "Well gorgeous, _everything_ is on the menu. But you need to decide what you want to order _first_."

Rick felt as though his whole body had come alive, his skin tingled, and he was positively burning up, despite the cooler evening and his recent cold shower. He felt as though nothing outside of this tent mattered... Actually, he felt as if there was nothing outside of this tent. It was just Daryl and him, and his tingling skin, and his _want_.

Rick shivered and took a deep breath, but when he spoke, his voice was clear and collected. "I want you to have me. Any way you like. I want to feel you, in me. I want you to fuck me." The last sentence was barely a whisper. But he stood straight and still and his eyes continued to meet Daryl's.

Daryl was struck by how those words were filled with _trust_ , and _desire,_ and by their honest careful delivery.

And now he was having trouble reconciling somewhat conflicting feelings. Because here was a man who people already looked up to as a leader, despite his youth. He was smart and clever, and strong and fearless, and that didn't even begin to describe his physical attributes, which Daryl happened to consider perfect.. So, on one hand he basically wanted to ravage him, to _attack_ him. He wanted to be rough and force him to his knees, and dominate him. He wanted to take apart this beautiful creature, and _own_ him in a way no one ever had.

Yet on the other hand, Rick was emotionally fragile and bruised. He was sensitive and overwhelmed by the question of who he wanted to be and how he wanted to live his life, and for a long time, had hovered around the edges of depression. With this man, he wanted to take his time and be gentle. He wanted to pick up the pieces and tenderly put him back together. To show him what he deserved. To take care of him. To _love?_ him.

Daryl wasn't sure how to walk the line between these opposing desires. He wanted it all. Maybe that was what Rick meant by "everything". And so when he just couldn't think about it anymore. He simply took Rick into a passionate embrace, and gave into their bodies and the sensations.

Rick, for his part, couldn't think, couldn't focus. He felt like his body, his soul was being deconstructed just from the pressure of Daryl's lips on his. Daryl was taking over and engulfing him, and it was exactly what he wanted. He needed it, he had never felt like this before, it had always been rational thought instead of reckless abandon. They were still standing, and Daryl was kissing him as though it meant everything, and Rick was responding, and their hands were _everywhere_. Their shirts had been removed at some point, but they were still in jeans, and neither could stop kissing and touching long enough to do anything about it.

"You are so fucking beautiful." Daryl growled when he could eventually remove his lips for a second, before going back to ravishing Rick's mouth with his tongue, and sucking insistently on his plump pink lips. Rick lost track of time, lost of track of everything except this man in front of him. His already hot skin was positively on fire from Daryl's touch and he never wanted it to feel otherwise.

Daryl tracked kisses down Ricks neck to his chest, and fell to his knees in front of him, smoothly undoing his button and zipper, and removing his jeans and underwear, whilst sucking at the skin near his hip bones. Rick worried his legs may give way as "oh god" Daryl took him into his warm, soft mouth and did amazingly wicked things with his lips and tongue... He thought he may pass-out. He thought maybe his dick was made to be in Daryl's mouth. Or that Daryl's mouth was made to be wrapped around his dick. Either way, Rick was in ecstasy and he knew he would come in seconds. He knew but didn't want it to stop, couldn't stop and knew Daryl wouldn't stop anyway. He felt his balls tighten in the other man's hand and his body jerked as ejaculate spurted into Daryl's mouth.

Daryl continued sucking, gently now as Rick's body slowly stopped convulsing. He removed his mouth, and pulled at Ricks hands to encourage him to kneel down too.

"Jesus." Rick said.

"Fucking unbelievable how you felt in my mouth. How you tasted." Daryl drawled, before kissing him.

"I've never felt anything like that before." Rick muttered between kisses.

"Do you still want to do everything?"

"God yes." it was earnest and desperate, and maybe Rick had just discovered faith.

Daryl pulled them both down onto the mattress and quickly removed his own jeans, taking a condom and small tube of lubricant from the pocket.

They lay on their sides kissing some more, Rick stroking Daryl's erection slowly and already starting to feel twinges again in his own spent cock. Daryl moved Rick onto his back and sat up between his legs, applying lube to his fingers. He leaned in close to ask. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

Rick nodded. "Yeah. Yes. I want this."

Daryl kissed him deeply again. "You can stop me at any time, you know that?"

Rick nodded, and breathed in slowly as one of the other man's finger touched his entrance and played there for a moment, then slowly pressed into his body. Mentally, Rick almost had trouble coming to terms with how _intimate_ this was. For someone, another _man_ , to be touching inside him. Physically it was an unusual feeling, and he wasn't exactly sure if he would like this or not, but he knew he wanted to do this with Daryl, so he regulated his breathing and lay his head back and relaxed... and within moments decided the feeling was.. amazing. Daryl pressed another finger inside, and lowered his head to again suck on Rick's hip bone as he moved his fingers in and out of him. The sensations were starting to get to Rick, who felt his cock start to swell again, and was unable to hold back the moans escaping from his mouth. After an indeterminable period of time, Daryl added another finger, and although Rick wasn't sure he could handle the stretch, he forced himself to remain calm, and Daryl was doing other things to him with his mouth that were very distracting.

By the time Daryl pulled away and removed his fingers, Rick was squirming and desperate for more. Daryl grabbed his hips and indicated he should roll over, so Rick found himself on hands and knees, trying to keep his ass from moving around greedily, whilst silently pleading for more.

He almost forgot to breathe as Daryl rolled on the condom and applied lubricant, then positioned himself behind Rick, lined himself up at Rick's hole, and pushed slowly until the head of his cock was just inside. Rick hissed though his teeth, and Daryl forced himself not to move until Rick nodded. Then he pressed slowly forwards until he was buried to the hilt, his hips flush against Rick's arse, one hand gripping Rick's hip, the other rubbing his back. He didn't move for as long as he could possibly manage, then started slowly to pull out, and push in.

Rick groaned quietly as the pace picked up, and then practically yelped as Daryl pushed in and stimulated.. something inside him... "Do that again." he pleaded, but Daryl already was. Again and again, the thrusts coming faster now, but not too hard, because somewhere along the line, Daryl had landed on the 'pick up the pieces' rather than the 'take him apart' side of the fence, and regardless, he wanted this experience to be perfect for the younger man.

He needn't have worried, because Rick was currently having a completely out-of-mind, totally in-body experience, feeling sensations he had never known could exist, and loving every one of them. He thought he would be fine with anything Daryl wanted to do with him, and to him... until Daryl stopped moving and withdrew, and Rick realised there was one thing he wasn't ok with.

But the older man used his hands on Rick's hips to roll him onto his back again, and then bent his legs up and apart, to re-enter him. He leaned forward to kiss him deeply, and reached his hand down to pump Rick's cock and continued to thrust, and so just when Rick thought this couldn't feel any more amazing, _all_ of the sensations increased.

And now, he could actually _see_ Daryl, see his body, his strong muscular shoulders, his gorgeous face, god, Rick's brain didn't even know what to do with the image of this man above him.

Daryl's tongue licking into his mouth tipped Rick over the edge once again, which made Daryl come a second later, both moaning loudly.

Spent, Daryl collapsed on top of him and Rick lazily placed his arms around him and they lay there like that for a minute, until he rolled off, and removed the condom. Then they lay on their sides, tangled together kissing slowly. Rick wondered if maybe he should say something, but was still having problems with his vocabulary, so he tried to show Daryl how he felt with the way he kissed and touched him, and it seemed Daryl was doing the same.

They fell asleep for while, then woke only to clean up somewhat, have a few sips of water, then fall back to sleep, bodies entwined.


	6. Friday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was improved greatly by the consultation I had with Starfire_Wildheart about dehydration and medical stuff in general. I really appreciated it, Thank You Starfire!

It was Friday morning. They were dressed and staring at each other and hadn't left the tent yet.

"Last night was amazing." Rick said.

"Incredible." Daryl agreed.

"I didn't know I could even feel......"

"Me either."

"But you've done.. that... before." Rick was confused.

"Never with _you_ before." Daryl clarified, and closed the distance between then, wrapping his arms around Rick.

"It was good then?" He asked.

"Good is probably not the appropriate word gorgeous." Daryl breathed, kissing him again and again and whispering in his ear. "I can't get enough of your mouth, of your skin, your body." He rubbed his hands lazily all over Rick's torso, and his back and down gently making small circles over Rick's backside. "Are you sore? I hope I didn't hurt you." He kissed him again.

"I am a little." Rick allowed when he reclaimed his mouth. "But it's not bad, and it was way beyond worth it." He kissed Daryl. "Shit, do you think it would be ok to spend the rest of the festival here, just the two of us?"

"Fine with me. Except I'm kind of hungry."

Rick grinned.. "Me too. Actually, I'm starving. Let's find something to eat, and come back?" Rick undid the bedroom zipper and stepped out. The zipper to the girl's bedroom was open, and as he walked past, Rick could just make out a vague shape of someone asleep in there, so he was surprised to see both Maggie and Michonne, and even Andrea sitting under the gazebo.

"Who's in your room?" He asked the girls.

"What? No one." Replied Maggie, confused.

Rick raised his eyebrows and went back inside, followed by everyone else from their camp and they stood crowded awkwardly around the door. Yes, there definitely was a body inside the tent. Shane's body. He was sound asleep.

"I can't believe he found his way back to camp, let alone into the tent, without us even knowing." Maggie said stunned. "We didn't, ahhh, sleep here last night, so I don't even know how long he's been here."

Rick said a silent prayer that Shane had chosen that room to crash in, not the one he and Daryl were in.

"I can believe it." Michonne grinned.

Rick could too. This wasn't the first time Shane had surprised them with his homing instinct. And after all, it was the reason Rick hasn't been overly concerned about his friend these past days. They all turned to head outside, but Daryl stopped them. "Hey, his breathing sounds a little fast and kinda shallow... Maybe just take his pulse."

Rick reached down and placed his fingers on the pulse-point on Shane's neck. "Can't find it." He tried again. "Yeah, got it. It's really fast.

"Try to wake him up." Daryl advised.

Rick shook Shane gently and then a little more roughly when that didn't work. Then he slapped him lightly on the cheeks.

He started hitting back at Rick, almost socking him in the nose, and said something like "Get away from me." but it was slurred and he didn't really open his eyes.

"He must be completely exhausted?" Andrea questioned.

Daryl clicked his tongue. "Yeah, but he might be dehydrated. It's really common here, and I wouldn't mind betting he's been partying so hard he's forgotten to keep up his fluids."

"Daryl's right. We should get him to first aid." Maggie instructed.

They all helped to lift Shane off the mattress and out of the tent and down to the first aid tent a few rows over. Shane muttered and mumbled a lot, but didn't quite come around. The nurse at the first aid tent confirmed Daryl's suspicions of dehydration.

She had to try three times to find a vein to insert an IV drip. "His other vitals are testing ok, so we'll leave him on the drip and check him again soon. Someone like him, young and fit, should really start to pick up in a short time. Few hours at the most." She smiled at the group of friends. "This is very common here, it's the number one reason people end up coming to see us at first aid. Mind you, they are not always this bad. Often a bottle of water and some electrolytes will do the trick. Keep that in mind ok, don't want to see any of you back here for this. Severe dehydration can lead to kidney and other organ failure."

They all nodded and agreed, and promised not to be as 'stupid' as Shane, but Rick grimaced when he thought about how little water still, he had consumed here, and mentally promised himself _again_ to drink more.

Rick said he would stay with Shane, and Daryl offered to keep him company, so the others went back to camp to finish breakfast, saying they would come back soon and take the next shift.

Daryl was obviously having the same thoughts as Rick. "We totally didn't drink enough water yesterday. I don't know Grimes, something must have distracted me, I'm usually a bit OCD about hydration."

Rick smiled. "Distracted, hey? Surely you've been distracted here before?" He wasn't trying to imply anything, he was just genuinely curious... Did Daryl always have a festival tryst? Is that what this was?

Fortunately he didn't seem to take offence. "No. Never before. This is the first time I've been distracted here."

"Really? So you've never gotten with anyone at the festival before? Not even, for one night? or, one hour?"

"Nope. Let's put it this way. I've never felt the need to take a shower here before, wasn't even completely sure they existed, though I'd heard rumours."

Rick smiled. He had wondered about that, so Daryl had found the showers specifically for them.

They sat cross legged on the floor off to the side of Shane's bed, holding hands and talking softly, giving each other small kisses every so often. Rick had just reached up and drawn Daryl's lips to his when he heard Shane's voice, if somewhat croakier than usual.

"Oh come on. Are you two at it again?"

Rick bumped his head against Daryl's, and apologised softly before they both stood up and looked at Shane.

"What do you mean, _again_?" Rick asked nervously.

Shane looked like hell, and he was obviously feeling pretty weak, as he speech was still slightly slurred. "Last night. Came back to camp to go to bed and you're both asleep and naked in my bedroom. Shit, I don't even want to think about what's been happening on my mattress and sleeping bag. You can have them, I never want them back."

Rick was speechless as he turned bright red, mortified. Fuck! Shane had seen them. Naked! Thank god they were sleeping and not actually.... Argh. He looked at Daryl who hadn't even had the decency to blush or even look embarrassed.

Rick rubbed at his chin with one hand, and then placed both hands on his hips, stepping left to right,  looking from Daryl, to Shane and back to Daryl, still unsure what to say.

Shane had a self-satisfied look on his face. Daryl, a smirk. Eventually Rick decided the best course of action would be to ignore it and move on.

"Shane, this is Daryl. Daryl, Shane." He introduced quietly.

Daryl moved closer to Shane's bed and shook his hand.

"I've heard a lot about you. Actually caught a few glimpses of you around the place... I think you were wearing a sarong one time?"

"And a white hat." Rick added.

Shane didn't look as embarrassed as Rick thought he might. He just smiled serenely. "Yeah, this fucking place, hey?"

"So where have you been for the past four days man?" Rick asked.

Shane took a breath. "Jesus, everywhere. And nowhere. I'm not really sure, but I've been having a total blast. It's been.... I don't even know. Enlightening."

Rick raised an eyebrow. Shane looked serious.

"Yeah, like, existential. I think I've somehow discovered all this stuff about myself. Stuff I didn't realise I didn't know before. I can't exactly explain it." He looked at Rick.

Rick just nodded, and they were interrupted by the paramedic entering the room. He introduced himself as Otis.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked Shane.

"A lot better. Like a hundred times better. That IV has really been doing the trick." Shane responded enthusiastically.

"Good to hear. Do you mind leaving the room while I just check your friend over?" He asked Daryl and Rick, who of course nodded and headed outside.

"Are you ok?" Daryl asked Rick.

"Yeah. I definitely wasn't prepared for that though. But I guess at least it solved the question of how to tell Shane about, well, about us. About me." Rick finished awkwardly. Daryl just nodded.

After Otis, left, they went back in to check on Shane, who continued on and on about how amazing the festival was, and how much he'd been enjoying himself. Rick was waiting for a punch-line, because Shane seemed oddly calm and content. And now he _liked_ the festival.

Eventually Shane tired, so Rick and Daryl left saying they, or someone else would return for him in a few hours. They headed back to camp to scrounge up some breakfast, or brunch, or lunch, whatever it was. Merle ended up taking pity on them, and made bacon and eggs which both men at greedily. And they made sure to drink lots of water.

The day passed lazily. The girls and Glenn ended up going to pick up Shane, who was feeling well enough to walk back with them, under strict instructions from Otis to rest for at least 24 hours.

Rick wondered how Shane would get along with Merle, but they clicked instantly, each able to give as good as they got.

After five days at the festival, everyone felt it was high time to chill out and basically do nothing. There was a lot to catch Shane up on, and he told them a little about his missing days at the festival, and explained that he had somehow become friends with friends of people on the organising committee, and he had spent a fair amount of time effectively 'behind the scenes.' And no, he said, when Rick asked, he hadn't taken any pills, although had smoked more than his share of what he hoped was just pot, but that it had eventually made him feel jumpy and anxious and was now planning never to do drugs of any kind in future. Rick noticed a glaring absence of Shane talking about sexual conquests, or any mention of girls at all, and this was strange, because that was usually the first thing he would 'brag' about.

There was easy conversation around the camp all afternoon. Merle, Shane and then Daryl and Rick had an animated Ford vs Chevy debate, that seemed to last on and off all afternoon. Glenn said he couldn't participate because he preferred Subaru, and Dale was only interested if it was General Motors.

After cars they moved onto sports, and then music, and eventually Shane opened up a little, after a lot of prodding from Merle, about a hot chick named Sasha he had met and liked, but who had disappeared and he hadn't been able to find again. Merle offered to hook him up, saying he was a great match-maker, but Shane gracefully refused the offer.

Andrea and Michonne talked about some of the guys they'd met. Incredibly, they had run into Phillip Blake, and whilst Michonne found him creepy, Andrea had liked him, although she said she wasn't planning to maintain contact with him. Rick, Daryl and Merle all strongly suggested she didn't.

Michonne grinned from ear to ear when Maggie and Rick presented the Katana to her, and she stood in the middle of their circle demonstrating some swinging arc movements, which were even more impressive than the ones Rick had seen the other day. Merle was particularly captivated and complimentary.

Daryl spent much of the day drawing in his sketch pad, when he wasn't holding hands with Rick, who gave up reading his novel, and just watched Daryl.

Everyone agreed to have an early night, brought on in part as people, including Rick, started to doze in their camp chairs.

"Hey man, you need to go to bed." Daryl, sitting beside him, whispered. Shane had disappeared into the tent earlier, and despite what he had said about not wanting to, he had gone and lay down on his mattress.

Rick looked longingly at Daryl. He wanted to spend the night with him, even if they just slept, but he couldn't stop himself from yawning, and finally realised how tired he really was.

"Ok. Wish you could come with me."

"I know, me too." Daryl smiled and kissed him, and watched as Rick entered his tent, before he went to Merle's tent.


	7. Saturday

When Rick woke on Saturday, Shane was already awake, reading.

"What's the book?" Rick asked sleepily.

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."

"Shit man, some week you've had. Didn't even realise you knew how to read." He tried to contain his smirk.

Shane grabbed the nearest thing he could find, which happened to be one of Daryl's sleeveless tops, and threw it at Rick's head. "Told you, it's been enlightening. Same for you, huh?"

Rick nodded.

Shane rolled onto his side to look at his friend. "You know, although I was admittedly surprised to _actually walk in_ on you sleeping naked with some guy in our tent, in some ways, it wasn't completely weird to me that you hooked up with a dude." For once, Shane wasn't being mean or sarcastic, he was just talking. "You know, I used to think you were gay, when we were younger. For a while thought you might have a thing for me. Then when we got a bit older, I just couldn't decide. Knew you weren't into girls, even though I tried to get you to be, but you didn't seem to be into guys either. You just weren't into anyone. Then Lori came along and so for a while, I thought I had it figured out, you just needed to find the right person. But no, that wasn't it either. Anyway, let's just say I'm surprised, but not shocked. And you seem different. Lighter. Happy. It's been so long, I think I forgot what that was like."

Rick had always known Shane had an arsey kind of sixth-sense, but he hadn't realised quite how perceptive he could be. Apparently he just didn't usually let on that he knew all these things. "Yeah, I think I forgot too. But it's as you say, I feel like a weight has lifted from my shoulders and I feel happy for the first time in a long time."

"Glad for you, man. Haven't spent much time with him, but he seems like a cool guy. He's pretty good looking too. I'd do him if I were gay."

Rick reached over and socked Shane lightly. "Watch it."

"Hey, you won't believe this, but that medic who looked after me yesterday, Otis. He's from Atlanta too. Told him to drop by later today when he's not on shift."

"Sure, sounds good." Nothing surprised Rick any more. Of course they would find someone else from Georgia.

***

No one was in camp when Rick walked out of the tent, but Daryl was there when he returned from visiting the toilets, and he gestured Rick to follow him behind his car.

Neither of them made a sound other than the "Umpf" inadvertently released by Rick when Daryl shoved him hard up against the red Suburban, apparently deciding it would suffice as a make-do wall.

They didn't even say good morning before Daryl was plastered to the front of him, his right leg in between Rick's legs, pushing their chests, and groins together and devouring his lips in that way that made Rick forget there was anything else around them.

But there was. There was a whole festival and seventy thousand odd people around them. Sure they were behind his car and therefore none of their camp could see them, but his car backed onto someone else's car and campsite, and whilst no one currently seemed to have a direct line of sight on them from a short distance, that was sure to change at any moment. Still Rick didn't care. He probably would have cared if Daryl had turned him around, pulled his pants down and fucked him up against the car..... Probably. It was hard to say for sure. It was the festival after all, and as he had found, weirder things can, did and no doubt currently were happening, and Rick had lost so many inhibitions, amongst other things, this week.. But, public sex was still not really his thing.

Not that it mattered, because it didn't seem to be Daryl's either, the older man contenting himself with grinding and kissing until Rick simultaneously thought he couldn't stand it any longer, but couldn't bear to stop. They continued until someone called out cheekily "Get a tent" and Rick opened his eyes to see a young couple grinning and ogling them from a few feet away.

"Argghhhh." Daryl groaned, and removed himself from Rick's space and turned around. "Get the fuck out of here, perverts." He roared, but was also trying not to laugh.

"Tho they may have a point." He lamented, turning back to Rick.

"Yeah, well we would go back to a tent if we could be alone. But unless you want to have a conversation on philosophy with Shane while we go at it, or, I don't know, lecture Merle on workplace safety, then we're fresh out of privacy right now."

"Think there's any chance Shane could go missing for another day?" Daryl had a glimmer to his eye, and had moved away just enough to hold Rick's hands.

"We can always hope. Anyway, maybe we should try to be more sociable.. You're supposed to spend time with your brother, and I should at least hang out with my friends for more than one day of the festival."

"You'll see them on the drive home, and I'll have way too much time with Merle when I go back home with him after this." Daryl said, apparently unaware he hadn't mentioned this before.

"Oh? You're not going back East?" Rick was careful to keep any note of disappointment from his voice.

"Well no, we planned for me to bring his bike, then we'd go to Cali in his truck and I'll hang with him at the beach for a few weeks before flying back to Atlanta." Daryl responded, looking searchingly into Rick's eyes. "Why? Will you miss me?"

"Maybe a little. Yeah." Rick thought he would miss him more than a little, but wasn't willing to show it.

Daryl appraised him. "That mean you were thinking we might see each other, after all this." He gestured around them. "After the desert?"

"You weren't thinking that?" Rick felt a tightening in his stomach, and involuntarily let go of Daryl's hands, his forehead lined with a frown.

Daryl stared at the younger man for what felt like minutes but was just seconds, before taking his hands back in his. "Yeah. I was thinking that. I just wasn't sure if you were. You know, the whole 'what happens on festival stays on festival' thing." His expression was serious. "Georgia isn't New York or LA, or Amsterdam, or Berlin and anyway, _none_ of those places are like here. Nowhere is like the Festival. Things, people, _some_ people are different in the real world. You might want to go back home to Atlanta and back to being the straight college boy you thought you were." His tone changed from serious, to joking, to serious as he spoke, and Rick realised he really did think that.

It was Rick's turn to stare. "I know, don't think it hasn't crossed my mind, I guess in some sense it's what I have known for a long time. Part of the reason this has been such a challenge for me. But these last few days here, with you." He paused. "I just don't remember ever being this happy, not in years. Even Shane could see it." He squeezed Daryl's hands. "Yeah, I do want to see you after this. I mean, I don't know if I'm gay really... I suppose it's possible I'm just a straight guy who's obsessed your cock." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled widely, teasingly.

"Yeah, well I like you too Grimes. And your cock." Daryl's eyes took on a wicked glint as he grabbed Ricks upper arms. "And your car."

There was a thud and another "Umpf" from Rick.

***

Otis, the Medic who had looked after Shane came around to their camp mid-morning and was introduced to everyone. Although they had all mostly stopped being surprised by coincidences, Maggie was pretty amazed to find he knew of her family farm and had even met Hershel, her father and his assistant Patricia.

They hung around camp all day, catching up on everything, especially Shane's missing days, although he wouldn't give up any more information on the mystery girl. He did relent that he had participated in a number of philosophical discussions, that apparently had gone on for hours at a time in various tents around the festival. To everyone's surprise Shane talked at length about the human condition, philosophy of life, mind-body tensions, state of mind. Rick lost track at some point, and noticed even Michonne and Daryl looked lost, in fact, only Merle seemed to be following, but he was impressed at Shane's enthusiasm and apparent level of knowledge on a subject he had never shown interest in before.

Shane claimed he had been thoroughly and utterly lost within ten minutes of walking out of camp the prior Sunday, however he had figured out the location about a day before he actually returned. Everyone got the impression that if Sasha had hung around he might not have come back at all.

Daryl spent most of the time sketching in his pad. Rick alternated between reading, doing an initial tidy-up of camp, and staring at Daryl.

As night fell, the mood of the festival took on an even more frenzied vibe than usual. It was after all, time for the main event, and many people, themselves included, would be leaving tomorrow or the next day.

It seemed the festival numbers increased, and they probably did on this last night, as even more people that usual ran and danced down the streets. Impossibly, there was more colour, more music and art, more laughter.

Everyone at the festival, including everyone from their combined camps was understandably keen to see the major pyrotechnic festival finale, and an intense excitement filled the air, and it was definitely louder than usual. They walked as a large group to a good vantage area, joking around, Shane particularly playful as he teased joked with Merle, however it didn't take long for everyone to separate into smaller groups, it was just impossible to stay together in such a crowd.

Rick heard the sounds of drums beating, and incredibly the festival fell silent, the participants collectively in awe and awaiting in anticipation for the burning of the structure to commence, and whilst it wasn't exactly 'pin drop' quiet, it was close, which was impressive in itself. Then there was a slow chant and clapping of hands in time as there was some kind of count-down being chanted, despite the lack of a neon sign or ball dropping, and when they reached zero, the structure caught alight, and the silence ended.

Rick had to admit it was stunning and breath-taking. Well, it was, for the five minutes he and Daryl stayed to watch it, before running back to 'their' shower, and then to Rick's tent, to take advantage of some privacy.

Rick had Daryl's jean's unbuttoned within seconds of entering the tent, then Daryl removed his own top and jeans, as Rick undressed himself. They came together roughly, all lips and hands and hot bare skin.

Rick's heart was beating as fast as if he'd run a race, and his skin was just a hot. "I want to do you this time." He voice felt strange and gravelly.

"That's convenient." Daryl reached to fumble for condoms and lube. "Cause I was hoping you'd fuck me this time."

They lay down, both already hard. Rick coated his fingers with lube then knelt between the other mans legs. Now that he was here, looking at Daryl's hole, he had the sudden urge to use his tongue. "Can I lick you?" He asked, suddenly uncertain if this was something people liked.

"You can do whatever you want to me." Daryl responded evenly. "And I guarantee I'll like it."

Rick leaned forward and licked his tongue across the hole, eliciting a shiver from the other man. He licked again, and swirled his tongue experimentally. Expletives fell from Daryl's mouth as the younger man used his hands to spread his cheeks apart, and push his tongue inside.

"Jesus." Daryl moaned and Rick saw no reason to stop re-defining his own view of 'intimate' as he alternated between pushing his tongue inside, and licking outside, as Daryl writhed. After a while, he inserted first one then two of his lubricated fingers, and kissed and licked Daryl's abdomen and chest, as he moved his fingers slowly at first, then much faster.

"Rick." It was strained, and Rick noticed the other man's cock was a dark shade of purple, and impossibly thick and hard. He was obviously teetering on the edge, so he quickly rolled the condom onto his own straining dick, applied some more lubricant, and then guiding himself with his hand, he rubbed the head of his cock over and around the hole it was so eager to enter, then he made eye contact with Daryl before slowly pressing inside him.

They both moaned as Rick embedded himself in Daryl and then leaned over to kiss him deeply. It was so impossibly tight around him, he knew he wouldn't last long.

He began moving gently in and out, looking questioningly into Daryl's eyes to gauge his enjoyment level, which seemed to be high.

"Want you to fucking pound me." He rasped.

Rick didn't have to be told twice, and he picked Daryl's legs up and rested them on his shoulders and began thrusting hard and fast, the older man moaning louder and louder. Realising how close he was, Rick leaned down and took Daryl's throbbing, leaking cock in his hands and jerked just a few times before Daryl came with an even louder moan. The muscles that contracted and loosened so exquisitely on Rick made him come within seconds.

Completely spent, Rick withdrew, removed the condom and lay on his side panting and running his hands over Daryl.

"You seem to be a natural at this." Daryl commented.

"At what? Gay sex?" Rick grinned.

"Yeah."

"It's you. The sight of your body does something to me and I can't control myself. You make me want to do things I've never thought of doing before." He was running his hands over Daryl's chest as he spoke, and then down his side and outer thigh. This man had the most amazing, perfect body.

They dozed for not even an hour, then Rick fucked him hard again, this time pumping into him from behind whilst draped over Daryl's muscular, glistening back. It felt animalistic. It felt really fucking hot. It felt almost too much, Rick thought after, as some of his body parts were feeling very sensitive, and Daryl for his part, wondered if he was going to be able to walk straight the next day, but neither was complaining.

After they had dressed and tidied up, they sat outside the tent nursing the last of the beers as their friends trickled back to camp over the next hours.


	8. Sunday

Sunday morning started slowly, but quickly became frenzied as everyone worked to break up camp.

Shane dropped his first minor bombshell shortly after waking up. He had decided to stay for two more days in order to help close out the festival, and then he was going to share the drive back East with Otis, who had driven across by himself.

Rick and the girls had looked stunned as Shane casually mentioned he wanted to help out at the festival, and then proceeded to actually help out his friends, by almost single-handedly taking down the tent and packing up their camp.

"What the hell happened to him this week?" Michonne hissed at Rick, who just shrugged his shoulders.

Even more startling, once almost everything was packed up, Shane turned to Rick. "You know, I've been thinking about changing my major when we get back home."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, man. I've thought about it a lot his week, about what I really want, and I think... Shit, I hope you won't mind, but I think I want to join the police force as well." He paused to gauge Rick's reaction.

"Really? No, why would I mind?"

"I don't know, might feel weird like I'm just copying you, and look, I'm not going to do anything rash, but if it still seems like a good idea when we get back to school, I'm going to set the wheels in motion."

"Shane, you'd make an awesome cop. Better than me probably." Rick grinned at his friend.

Merle and Daryl had been packing up their camp too, which didn't take quite as long, as they actually worked well together and seemed to have it down to a fine art. Rick took a few deep breaths before facing Daryl to say goodbye.

Daryl actually looked as forlorn as Rick felt. "Listen Rick, I don't do goodbyes. I don't even know how to go about this, so let's just not. I'll be back in Atlanta in a fortnight. I'll see you then?"

Rick had promised himself not to be soppy about this too. It was just two weeks. "I'll pick you up from the airport." He suggested, and was pleased to see the wide smile that lit up Daryl's face.

"Yeah, I'd like that. Here, got something for you." He handed Rick a small parcel. "Open it after I'm gone, ok?" Rick nodded, then pulled the other man into a kiss in front of everyone.

Their friends reacted suitably with whistles and cat-calls, but they didn't let that stop them from deepening the kiss and tightening their embrace, remaining together for some minutes before drawing apart.

"C'mon lovebirds, you'll be together soon enough." Merle called.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Merle." Rick said, hugging him goodbye. "I hope to see you again."

"Oh, I'm sure you will Officer Friendly." He said, using the nickname he had applied since Daryl told him Rick wanted to be a cop.

He watched with a sad smile as Merle's beat-up ute and trailer pulled away, the Harley was strapped down tightly in the back, and all the camping gear packed around it. Daryl held his hand out the window in a quick wave, which Rick returned.

After Daryl was out of sight, Rick opened his gift, which was a pair of sunglasses very similar to the ones he had traded for the cuff, and they were wrapped in one of Daryl's drawings, an eerily life-like sketch of Rick, standing in the dessert, T-Shirt, jeans, boots, stubble and all.

"Rick." Michonne startled him from looking at the sketch, which he folded away. "Glenn and I have been talking and we're thinking about swapping rides home, if that's ok with you. Thought I'd get to hang out with Andrea before she has to go back to Florida, and Glenn and Maggie want to go back together. Do you mind?"

"No, course I don't Chonne." He had already seen her pack the Katana into the RV earlier anyhow. He put on his new sunglasses and gave Glenn and Maggie, who were just out of ear-shot, but staring at him intently, a thumbs up, to which Maggie squealed with delight.

They bade Dale, Amy, Andrea and Michonne farewell as the RV slowly drove out of camp, and finalised all the packing away, ensuring they removed everything and were leaving no trace.

Shane held out his hand to shake Rick's, and Rick pulled him into a hug. "Glad we came here after all, hey?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, definitely glad." Rick replied. "Will see you in a few days then, take it easy here ok and don't forget to drink water."

Shane nodded and moved to say goodbye to Maggie and Glenn, before the three of them piled into the car, Rick agreeing the other two could sit together in the back seat together for the first leg of the journey, at least.

He raised his hand to farewell Shane, and manoeuvred the Suburban out of camp into the long line of departing traffic.

***

It took Merle and Daryl two hours of crawling to even reach the single lane that led to and from the dessert. And then they drove in the long queue of traffic for another two slow hours, before Merle couldn't stand it any longer."

"Are you gonna mope after that kid for the next fortnight Darlina?"

"Shut up Merle, I ain't moping."

"Are."

"Ain't."

Merle sighed. "He's a good looking kid, and a good guy as well, I can see why ya like him. No sure you've really had anyone like him in your life before."

"Nope."

"M happy for ya, you know?"

"Yeah Merle, I know."

"But listen, I really can't just sit around and watch your love-sick face and puppy dog eyes for the next two weeks, it'll bring me down."

"It's ok Merle, I'll be fine when we get to the coast."

Merle gave him a doubtful look, but didn't say anything. Except he pulled into the next rest stop and parked the car off to the high side of the road.

"Let's just sit here for a little while." He suggested.

Daryl stooped biting his thumbnail and looked at his brother, surprised. "What? Why?"

But when Merle got out of the car, went around back and pulled Daryl's backpack out, then sat down on the hood, Daryl figured it out.

He got out of the car and joined him. These had always been his favourite ways to spend time with his brother, who was always in his element in those completely unplanned, unscheduled and random moments they had spent together over the years, and this was no exception.

They joked and shared cigarettes for what ended up being almost another two hours, before Merle jumped down off the hood and onto the side of the road, waving his arms around like a mad man, flagging down the distinctive red SUV.

The passenger window was already open when Rick pulled over, and Merle leaned inside. "Told you I'd make it up to you." He said grinning at Rick, then deposited Daryl's bag in the back.

Daryl gave Merle a hug before jumping into the passenger seat. He turned around to give Maggie and Glenn each a high five, then levelled his eyes at his boyfriend. "Whatcha waiting for? Let's go home."

Rick couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he pulled the car back onto the road, honked and waved to Merle, and reached over and rested his hand on Daryl's knee.

The End


End file.
